Escape
by de tournesol amour
Summary: Danger around every turn wasn't her forte. How they ran away from the bombing to the end of Panem. Kind of slow Gadge. Super AU. Prim/Rory, Katniss/Peeta & Annie/Finnick
1. Chapter 1

The sky was darker than ever before. Gale guessed that it was the fact a storm was coming. He threw his game bag over his shoulder and threw an arm around his younger brother, Vick. Who looked up at him with utter most confidence in his eyes, as they neared the fence, Gale hung back against a house, watching a Peacekeeper walk directly by.

Both boys froze, their breathing stunted with fear. Gale tossed his head back in the direction of their house and when the front door closed behind them; they knew it was the end. "Ma" Vick stage whispered running into the other room. Their mother was already up, folding clothing and looking calm and collected.

Rory was snarling that they left without him and Posy rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. "We have to go… _now_" Gale said looking only at his mother. They saw the smoke before anything else, the squeal through the air as they dropped, and the sound of pounding feet as the community ran out of their houses.

Gale looked up at the skies as he ran towards Bristel and Thom. They had the same gruff and manner as Gale and were unsure of where they were going next. Gale's family pooled behind them and he gestured towards the meadow, "everyone is going to go there" he said, "The fence is on"

"There's most of the death, right there" Bristel whispered and looked over at the power tower, behind the Mayor's house.

"Right so we have to get to the power before anyone really dies" Rory said pushing past his brother

"Look kid, that power house is going to be crawling with Peacekeepers" Thom said, rolling his eyes, "we can't just barge in there like we're robbing a bank"

"Yeah we can" Gale said studying the Mayor's house, something looked off about it.

"How?" Bristel demanded

"We go through the Mayor's house and go through the back of the plant"

"That… might just work" Thom said

"What about the Mayor and his family?" Bristel asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" Gale said and looked back at his family, "go to Victor's get Everdeens and go to the backyard. I doubt they'll burn Victor's but so you better hurry anyways just in case I'm wrong" Rory stayed with them, "Go" Gale grumbled

"He's fine" Thom said. Gale sent him a hard galre.

They swerved in and out of already crushed, destroyed houses, assuming that they wouldn't be bombed a second time. Gale covered his face with the bottom of his shirt and his eyes watered through the smoke and grime. The Mayor's house was still in pristine condition.

The grey was covering the white siding as the war raged on around it. Gale glanced up at the windows and through he saw a flutter in the right hand second floor window. "Let me ask again, what about the Mayor and his family"

"They're not there" Gale said, slightly uncovering his mouth, "they probably evacuated weeks ago"

"Oh good point" Rory said from behind him. They lined up on the side of the house, starring at the side door. Gale went first, kicking in the side door with a shattering crack from the wood. Thom went in and scouted through the kitchen, stuffing left over foods into his nap sack.

Rory went into the pantry grabbing whatever he thought was deemed good and threw that into his sack. Bristle took the breads and such that she could find. Gale left them and went to look for a back door. Some of the floorboards squeaked and squawked under his feet.

The parlor was a beautiful maroon with shiny gold light fixtures hanging off the ceiling. The tall was round and could seat more than ten people. He ran his hand over the mahogany and slipped into the servant quarters. There was the back door.

"Guys" he called and turned back, running into the main living area. They were crowded around the window watching the rain of fire and smoke, the houses and businesses in town plummeting into nothing. Town folk ran in all directions, looking for outlets and such around the fence.

Most were running to the bombed seam, and the hob went up in flames in the distance seen even behind the trees that sheltered it. Gale watched with a heavy heart but didn't let him stop him from gripping Rory's shirt.

"We haven't looked upstairs" he glared and tore away from his brother.

"Ro- we don't have much time" Bristel said, "If they're going to bomb the house then we can't be in it"

"Yeah that defeats the point" Thom joked. Rory took the stairs two at time, disappearing onto the floor landing. They heard him plowing through the rooms. Gale motioned to the back,

"The back door to the plant is that way, through the parlor and into the few rooms back there"

"Uh, Gale?" The older brother looked up to Rory on the stairs. His eyes wide and cautious.

"There's someone up here"

"Someone?" Gale raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"The Mayor's daughter" Rory said, looking back up the stairs, "She's on the third floor"

"Did you talk to her?"

"No- did you want me to?" Gale thought about it and looked back at his friends who appeared back in the living room. They shrugged

"Talk to her" Gale mumbled, "Get her out of the house, get answers. Go find Ma and the others. As soon as the fence is down leave, you know where to go. Do not wait for us"

"_Gale_" Rory groaned

"Do you understand?" Gale couldn't wait for his answer. The men left the house followed closely by Bristle, her hands fumbling with her pack, the screen door banging behind them. They ran up the path and ducked into the gardens. They came out at a pond and worked around it, stepping into an overgrown marsh.

The power plant was empty, the gentle buzz of the machines annoyed their ears and Thom stuck his fingers into either ear. "How do we blow this thing?" he asked

"Beats me" Bristel smiled and threw up her hands

"There has to a simple way" Gale said stepping around the perimeter.

"That's hope talking" Thom muttered, "There is nothing simple about this. That's why the fence was never on"

"You think so?" Bristel asked and made her way out into the open. The men both cursed,

"Get back here!" she shrugged and walked right up to the machine, her hands trailing over it. She opened a box on the side, a few buttons and instructions inside it.

"On off button?" she winked and pressed it in, pulling out the cord connecting it to the main frame. They starred in awe as the fans on the plant, slowed to a stop.

"We have to get out of here" Thom said as planes flew over. They ran back into the marsh taking the highest parts of land within the past.

"Over here" Gale called and slipped under a piece of fence tore apart. The other two slid under it as well. They turned back to see the Mayor's house go up in flames, crumbling away to heaps of lumber and furniture.

"He's out" Bristel whispered resting her hand on Gale's shoulder as he tensed.

"I know" he threw her hand off with a shudder and they escaped into the thick forest ahead. They looked up at the darkening skies after a while.

"Surprised we haven't run into anyone" Thom said as he glanced around the quiet forest. Gale snapped a twig under his foot but didn't say anything.

"It didn't look good for District 12, Thom" he said gently, "I don't know how many people got out of the district"

"You said that they were all in the meadow" Gale refused to look at him, keeping his head high as he drew himself around another tree and standing up on a rock looking in the forward direction. "Gale?" He pressed on stepping over some moss covered rock and letting his legs get caught in ferns. His two friends followed slowly behind him, unable to decode his silence as anything but not good news.

"At least we escaped" he murmured as he saw his family in the distance, curled up around the strawberry bushes and the hideaway he found with Katniss. Rory sat back on a rock with his fist full of bread and a smile smeared over his features as the family laughed at something Posy said.

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**I think this might just be it... I don't know if I want this to be longer and have it be like a Gadge fic. Or something. Madge is there... Gale just wasn't looking for her. I don't know. Depends on what you guys think! **

**REVIEW please :) and read my other stories ^^ thanks**

**Erin**


	2. Chapter 2

**ABC: Thanks for your input! :) **

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Gale, Bristel, and Thom walked up to the camp. Their feet and wet from treading through the marsh. "Gale!" someone screamed and his eyes lit up at the sight of his younger sister running towards him.

"Hey squirt" he laughed and lifted her up in his arms

"You're face is dirty" she told him, scrunching up her nose.

"Thanks for telling me" Hazelle visibly relaxed at the sight of her son. Gale looked around the fire. Rory and Prim were sitting on the same rock, looking up at him with bright eyes. Vick, Hazelle and Posy shared a log along with Mrs. Everdeen.

Then there is the Mayor's daughter. Her ponytail is tussled, her large orange ribbon crinkled. She's covered head to toe with dust and grime much like Rory. She's sporting a thin satin yellow button down shirt with orange trim and matching pants. Her feet were stuffed into a pair of tall green rain boots.

She wasn't looking at the three of them like everyone else. Just stared into the fire, unblinking like, her blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears and the gleam of the fire. He turned away from her. Bristel was being dragged forward by the tiny arms of his sister.

He dropped her into the arms of his friend and turned to Thom who was also studying the Mayor's daughter. "Did you get something to eat?" Gale asked looking into Vick's pan.

"A bit" he said, "it isn't much but as soon as we were in the forest"

"Which wasn't long ago" Rory raised his eyebrows

"Yeah sorry about that" Bristel said, "the boys had a hard time figuring out that there was an on off switch"

"Look, I can explain" Thom said stepping forward

"Don't sell us short" Gale joked

"We entered the forest from the back of Victor's" Rory said seriously, "Madge and I went past the meadow-" Hearing her name from his brother's lip like it was nothing surprised all three of the new arrivals.

"How bad was it?" Gale asked

"A blood bath" all the heads snapped to the little blonde girl curled into herself on the log.

"Worse" Rory nodded. Thom ran a hand through his hair. "The smell was enough, you know?"

"Gross" Bristel whispered and took a seat on another log, Gale joined her and Thom sat on her other side.

"Are we the only ones out here then?" Thom asked

"We don't know" Vick said

"We didn't pass anyone alive though" Rory added

"Not everyone was in the meadow…" Gale let it go at the expression on Rory's face. They sat in silence listening to the darkness set around them. Thom looked out at the sunset with Bristel and Gale. Madge was still huddled against her knees.

"Let's go get cleaned up" Gale announced, "Posy says were dirty" she smiled up at her name.

"Can I come with?" she asked her eyes wide and hopeful.

"Why not, little bug?" Thom said lifting her over his shoulder, she squealed with delight. They got up and started following Gale, the mothers and Prim staying with the fire. Vick tugged up his trousers and ran up to be aligning with his older brother at the front of the line.

"Come on, Madge" Gale heard Rory say. He tensed. He wasn't exactly inviting her; she wouldn't dose herself in lake water.

"No it's alright, Rory" he heard her answer and he stood a little straighter. He knew it.

"It will be good for you" Gale rolled his eyes and tugged Vick along, down the path. The trees loomed over the path and the sky was pink with the end of the day. The creek was appearing to the right and Gale cut into the forest towards it.

Vick moved in front of him and jumped the rocks smoothly. Gale let out a carefree laugh at his brother when his foot slipped and drenched his pant leg and foot. Vick looked back and narrowed his eyes. Thom skipped over the rocks, waiting for Posy on the other side.

The little girl took her time, looking at her dark reflection in the water. Her little grey pants fluttering around her legs. Thom shook his head at Bristel waiting for Posy. She only smiled, "go on Posy" she grinned and stepped out on the next rock, egging the girl on.

"There are little fishes in the water" she said looking up at Thom.

"They're minnows, Pos" Gale called over his shoulder

"Minnows" she told Thom, like she didn't hear her brother, "Did you know that's what they call them?" Thom covered his mouth to keep from laughing and looked back at Gale, who was laughing.

"Really, Posy?" he grinned

"That's what they're called" she nodded

"Smart kid" He called to his friend up ahead

"The smartest" Gale called back. They followed the creek all the way up to the lake. Gale shucked off his shirt first throwing it over a branch of a tree. Vick followed suit, throwing his shirt on a lower branch.

Bristel raised her eyebrows when Gale dropped his pants with Vick at the same time. "Embarrassed?" Thom whispered into her ear and threw his shirt over the same branch with Gale's.

"Not in the least, just surprised" she said and added her shirt to the pile, "embarrassed?" she winked and unbuttoned her jeans. He coughed and left his pants on another branch. His cheeks were pink as he made his way down to the rocky beach.

Bristel helped Posy with her shirt and pants and unlaced her little shoes for her. Bristel pushed her bangs back and offered Gale's little sister a piggy back ride. Posy's hair swished back and forth as they bounced down to the water, splashing the cool water over themselves.

The few of them in the water, started to set waves of water at each other, disrupting whatever fish in their vicinity. They were stopped in their tracks of course when Rory came out at the tree line, talking the Mayor's daughter's head off.

Both Gale and Thom narrowed their eyes and Bristel sighed, wringing her hair out of water. Posy looked curiously at her brother and the blonde girl. Rory had no problem taking his clothes off and leaving them at the bank. Yet, Madge took her time thinking about taking hers off.

She snuck a peek at the water and the people and the pretended not to notice her. Going back to their water war, as if she hardly existed, Madge slipped her pajamas shirt off, not bothering the buttons. She was left in a light blue cotton bra, her light flawless skin, piercing through the dusk.

Rory waited around the tree and offered his hand for her shirt. She leaned forward to him and he snatched it out of her trembling hand. She pulled at the elastic of her pants and kicked off her rain boots. Madge dropped her pants, letting them collect at her feet.

The lace around the top of her light blue matching underwear sparked Gale's attention when he glanced over at Rory. It was bright red and clashed against the smooth skin under it. He coughed and looked away, straight into Bristel's brown eyes. She looked over at Madge too, and rolled her eyes as she was pulled by Posy, demanding another game of chicken.

"Have you ever played Chicken?" Rory's voice drifted over the crowd in the water, Thom and Gale damning Rory in the back of their minds.

**Reviewww please! :D **

**Erin**


	3. Chapter 3

**mellarklover11: Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like it! :)**

**Annabelle4.0: Thanks for favoriting! Guess you like it ^^**

**JulietwithnoRomeo: Thanks for following! Hope you like it ")**

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"No" Madge said curtly.

"Oh ok, we'll teach you" Rory smiled and tugged at her skinny arm. Gale wanted to smack the back of his brother's head.

"No, Rory. It's alright." Her voice whispered. Gale smirked and caught Bristel in a headlock as she picked on Posy.

"Gale!" she cried out, her bangs falling over her eyes.

"That's it" Gale said to the group, "Bristel and I versus Thom and Posy"

"That's not fair." Bristel snorted, but got up on Gale's sturdy shoulders.

"Go easy on her, Pos" Gale winked. Bristel huffed and poked Gale in the back of the head, "hey" he called and faltered in the water.

"This is how you play" Rory said still talking to Madge, Gale rolled his eyes. "We play the winner!" Rory called out.

"No Rory, really." Gale glowered

"Are we throwing the game and letting her win?" Bristel's voice melted into his ear. He held back a cackle.

"No" he said and looked up at her, "we have to show Rory whose boss." She nodded slowly getting in position.

"One.. Two.. Three" Vick called, "Go!" he threw his arm down in between the two teams.

"This seriously isn't fair" Bristel muttered

"Go with it" Gale muttered back. Gale hardly looked up at the action, just kept his feet on the rocks. Not letting his knees slip from their locked stance. He heard the splash before he saw. The water drew up and around Thom.

Posy squealed when she broke the surface and Bristel shifted herself on Gale's shoulders. He offered her a hand. Thom laughed and whipped his hair off his face. "Switch?" he asked Gale.

"After this" he looked over at Rory, raising his eyebrows

"_Gale, _you always let Posy win" Rory said narrowing his eyes, and offering a frown

"I wanted you to have a fair opponent"

"But that's not fair- Madge- is a beginner" _Madge. _The girl in question was hunkered into herself off to the side. Her cheeks were tinged pink and her nose was crinkled.

"Rory I don't think I'll be any good" she was slinking back to the forest and her clothes.

"You'll be fine. You'll teach her, right Bristel?"

"Right" she snickered

"See Madge, you'll be fine" Rory held out his hand. He ended up, walking up to her and tucking his arm with hers. As they drew closer to the water her eyes grew to saucers. She sputtered out a gasp.

"No Rory" she cried and threw his hand off her. She scrambled up the bank and back into the forest, grabbing her clothes on the way.

"Aww… damn. Scared her off" Gale snapped his finger and sat back in the water, letting Bristel push off his shoulders.

"Don't joke" Rory yelled and walked right up to Gale in the water, pounding a finger into his chest. "You don't know what she went through"

"What _she _went through?" Gale snarled, "And what did _she _go through?"

"Both her parents are dead. She has no other family. Her mother has been sick for years and hasn't been able to take care of her. Mr. Undersee hasn't been around at all, always in the Capital, always bringing Capital people home"

"Sure- sounds like a hard life" Gale rolled his eyes. Rory stormed out of the water. Leaving Gale, Thom, Posy, and Vick. "I'm not wrong right?" Gale asked his two friends.

"Well, both her parents are dead and she has no other relatives" Thom started, "that sounds hard. But she's better off than all of us. Wanting for nothing sort of thing"

"Okay good. I think Rory forgot about all of that. He was even in her house, he should know"

"Well he won't listen to you" Thom said and stood up in the water, "so maybe I'll go catch up to him and talk him out of this special treatment"

"Good idea" Gale nodded, "after you're done with him. I'll talk to him"

"I just want her to disappear… is that a… bad thing?"

"No I'm with you. She doesn't belong" Vick and Posy were indifferent to the conversation, chasing after minnows and little snails. Gale wadded into the shallow water, falling into the rocky shoreline. He sat back splashing Bristel with a foot.

She grinned and covered her face, joining him at the water's edge. She threw her head back towards the dark sky. Crickets and frogs came out by now and the squeals of his little siblings filled the air. "Bri?" he asked quietly

"Yeah?" she looked over

"Do you think she's alive?"

"Katniss?" she whispered

"What do you think?" he wondered

"Gale-" she swallowed, "I don't"

"Nevermind" he grumbled and stood up, "Vick, Posy let's go back for dinner" They walked back in silence. Letting the breeze through the trees and the trickle of water fill their ears. Posy almost slipped on a rock but Gale caught her arm and tossed her onto his hip.

The fire was bright and sneaking around the trees. Gale could see the outlines of his family members around it. As they climbed out of the tree line. He counted them subconsciously. "Where are Rory and Thom?" Bristel asked, "And Madge" she murmured.

"Madge is missing still- since she left you at the lake" Hazelle said starring down her son. "Thom and Rory have gone to look for her" she stood up and offered two plates, "If they're not back by the time you're both done. They ate slowly as if to waste time.

Their plates were clean and they refused to meet each other's gaze. Hazelle saw though. "Off you go" she hustled them out into the dark woods. Gale took as a walk in the woods. He walked back towards the district, picking up his feet and not making any noise.

Bristel snapped every stick, rustled every bush and fern, and touched everything. Gale almost had to laugh. "Bri you're making so much noise" he scolded playfully

"Sorry" she whispered and ran up to him

"Rory! Thom!" he yelled into the night and she tensed next to him

"Aren't you worried?"

"About…?" Gale asked looking over at her

"Someone hearing you" she said as if it was obvious

"Who is going to hear us, Bri?" he laughed, "Rory! Thom!" he called again.

"Stop!" she squealed glancing around. He looked into her eyes, raising an eyebrow

"Rory!? Thom?"Bristel huffed and crossed her arms, pushing him out of the way

"Rory! Thom" she joined him glancing around at the curling tree branches.

"Over here!" someone in the distance called. Gale winked,

"I know what I'm doing"

**Review please! :D**

**Erin**


	4. Chapter 4

**Mellarklover11: Thank you so much! I actually pulled most of my ideas from _And So We Run Redux: Part I by: Medea Smkye._ That in my opinion is the best escaping story yet. :) Thanks for your input though, look forward to what you think about this next chapter. Thank you for favoriting and following as well!**

"No, I'm not sure you do" Bristel sighed and followed him as he walked in the direction of Rory's voice. The tree line was thinning and Gale began to recognize the paths and the area. It was where they used to set snares and such when they didn't have all day.

He snorted, "I know a few things. Rory always answers when he's called"

"Rory doesn't seem like he wants to listen to you" she smirked. Gale snorted

"No, never" Thom had his arm around Madge. Bristel looked over at Gale, her eyes sparking. "Don't comment" he whispered

"Is it always better if we ignore these things?" she murmured

"Ma, set us out here to find you" Gale said nodding at the boys

"We didn't need help" Rory sneered

"No you never do, Kid" Bristel winked and moved around Gale. Madge was looking at the ground, her eyes trailed on Thom's hiking boots. Both Gale and Bristel dared the other to say something to her. They never did though,

"Can we get back to camp?" Rory sneered, "Or are you two going to keep stalling. I think Madge needs food" Gale was taken aback as well as Bristel by his brother's tone.

Hazelle took Madge in with open arms, asking her questions and feeling her forehead like she was Posy. _She _was _not _Posy, Gale glowered to himself. _She _was the _Mayor's Daughter _not some piteous creature. They all grouped around her and Posy climbed onto her lap.

"Looks like we're the odd ones out" Bristel whispered to him from the log they perched on.

"Guess so, Bri" he whispered back and looked down at his hands.

"There has to be something there that we're not seeing" she smiled slightly at the blonde girl.

"No" Gale said shaking his head furiously, "there's nothing there" he forced out. Bristel laughed

"Alright, whatever you say Hawthorne" she winked

"They're just being ridiculous" he pressed on and left it at that. Prim was off to the side, he noticed then. "Primrose" he called and beckoned her with a hand. She came over and sat next to him on the log. "What do you think about _Ms. Undersee_?"

"Uh…" Prim started looking up at Rory's older brother with wide eyes. She glanced over at the blonde girl next to Rory, his arm draped around her shoulders. "Truth?" she whispered and Gale nodded. "I think she's a lying, no good, spoiled, brat that got lucky when Rory dragged her out of her burning house" Bristel coughed,

"Tell us how you really feel" she smiled at the little Everdeen with the beet red face.

"Sorry" she murmured and looked away from them

"Do I sense jealously?" Gale asked the air around him, Prim glared

"No" she snapped quietly

"Let it go" Bristel said, rolling her eyes.

"Fine" he got up, stretching, his shirt exposing his toned stomach, "I'm going to hit the sack" he yawned, "join me?" he asked Bristel

She raised an eyebrow, "excuse me?" she murmured looking through her lashes at him

"I'm asking if you're going to bed as well" he smirked

"I was thinking about it, yes" Prim watched their exchange

"I'll find you a sleeping bag" he nodded and left her

"You like him" Prim said turning up her nose

"Hush" Bristel almost squealed

"So you do?" Prim beamed and shifted herself closer to Bri on the log.

"I'm not talking about this" the dark haired girl huffed and ran over to help Gale with the bags.

The morning light came too quickly for Gale and he sat up before anyone else. He was used to that now though, due to getting ready for the mines. He busied himself around the fire pit and cleaned the area. He glanced over at Rory. The only thing visible was his shaggy dark brown hair.

The sleeping bag next to him however, was vacant. Gale froze starring down at the exposed faded checkered print of the unzipped fabric. He searched the forest around him. Carefully he followed the trail down the lake.

He saw her clothes first, wrapped around a low branch of a tree. Then he saw her long blonde hair. She was perched on the side of the rocky shore, glancing down at the water. He ducked back behind the trees, unsure of his next move.

She dipped a few toes into the soft waves. Gale raised an eyebrow. "It's just water" he called and stepped out of the shadows. She jumped back, holding her palm against her chest. "It's not going to bite you" he pressed

Madge glanced around her, then turned away from him, "I know" she sighed

"So what are you waiting for- an invitation?" she laughed but it was more of a uneasy snort.

"_No_" she said and looked back so he caught her eye roll.

"Then what? Don't you know how to swim?" he asked and stripped himself of the t-shirt on his back.

"Psh. No" she glared, "where did I have to go to learn, _Gale_?" He tensed at the sound of his name. He dropped his flannel pants as well, draping them next to Madge's pajamas.

"I don't know" he muttered and joined her on the bank. "Your bathtub?" she didn't answer. "Ok if you're just going to stand there… make yourself useful and look for logs for the fire this morning" he snapped and glided into the water.

She stood there dumbfounded but he ignored her, disappearing under the water. He came up sputtering and sucking in the morning air. He whipped his hair out of his eyes and made eye contact with wide blue eyes.

He sighed. "What are you doing?" he asked again, "getting into the water or getting firewood?" she fidgeted and he let it go, floating up to the surface on his back. The morning was clear except for the light clouds, dotting the sky.

He felt the water displace as she crashed against it. He held back a tear jerking laugh. He was going to warn her about the drop off but then let it go. She looked content of making her way out to him. He looked over just as her head was pulled from the surface. "Boom" he said out loud and looked back at the clouds.

**Reviewwww :) **

**Erin**


	5. Chapter 5

**JabberJayJelly: Thanks for the review and the following! I laughed when I read your comment because at that moment I was writing this and I changed it _all _to Madge. Then I missed Gale and sort of went to him but I think I'll start writing in more Madge POV. If you have any ideas and upcoming chapters don't hesitate to comment. **

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Madge pushed herself up onto the rocky bank, coughing and letting the tears fall freely from her eyes. Her hands were being scrapped against the shell and rock along the water but her lungs were screaming for oxygen. She dropped down on her stomach, pushing the golden hair out of her eyes.

She could hardly look back at the chuckling man. With shaking legs and a broken conscious, Madge dragged herself to her clothes. She ripped them off the tree and still didn't look back. "I'll teach you to swim, Madge" Gale called back

"You'll teach me how to drown" she murmured. Rory was in a fluster looking for her. It was nice that he was worried and was incredibly caring but it was starting to get on her nerves.

"Madge" his smile was infectious, the family, except Prim and Bristel looked over, a smile on their faces. She tried to offer one back, but she wasn't in the mood.

"What happened?" Hazelle cried, taking in her condition. Madge held back a smirk and widened her eyes, making herself look lost and vulnerable.

"Gale" was all she could choke out

"What did he do?" Rory was on her, cradling her. All she wanted to do was push them all away.

"He let me almost drown" she cried and covered her face

"_What?_" Thom said and narrowed his eyes towards the lake, "and where is he now?"

"Enjoying himself in the lake" she whispered in a high voice. She was pushed aside within seconds, everyone heading off to the lake. That left her with three people. Mrs. Everdeen who was cooking, Bristel who was rolling her eyes and folding up the sleeping bags, and Prim who was quietly seething as she mixed some soup for later.

Madge let an easy carefree smile form on her face. Bristel starred unable to make a remark. "You think you're so clever" Prim whispered; looking up from the soup, "you think that you can turn everyone into liking you and not Gale" Madge looked surprised at the little girl.

"No he really did let me drown" Madge said looking at the two girls, "but I wanted them all to leave so I could have _peace _and _quiet_"

"What?" Bristel asked and pushed back her bangs.

"Everyone has been crowding me, since I was _rescued"_ Madge said and walked up to them, taking the free seat next to Prim, "but I didn't even want to be rescued" she whispered. "I didn't want to be saved"

"You're being ridiculous" Bristel hissed

"Both my parents are dead" Madge said looking back at her

"So are mine"

"I watched them…" she whispered, she hardly needed to finish her sentence. As Bristel was going to say suck it up and take the bull by the horns, the group was back, filing into the camp. Gale had this weird black eye and was sneering under his breath.

"_Gale_" Bristel laughed and ran over to him, tenderly touching the plastering skin.

"Don't touch me" he smirked but let her anyway.

"I'm so sorry, Madge" Rory said quietly next to her. She looked up at him and shrugged.

"Me too, but did he really deserve that eye?" she raised an eyebrow. Rory straightened up, his face stern.

"Yes, he needed to be taught a lesson"

"Ro" his mother called, "can you stir this?"

"Aw, Ma" he whined, "I'm talking to Madge" he made his way over anyway. It was sweet, his crush, Madge thought but he gave Gale a black eye. He didn't exactly deserve that, or maybe he did. Thom's heavy scent of wood smoke and the homemade vanilla soap from his house enveloped her.

It made her nose tickle. She looked up again at him, the stubble on his chin catching her eye. "I did that to his face" he snickered, "not Rory but he can pretend to take the credit"

"Makes sense" she shrugged. They were both watching Bristel and Gale. "Are they together?" the question just seemed to drip off her lips, accidently.

"I'm… not sure" Thom muttered

"What do you mean? They're your best friends" she looked back up at him. His eyes were hardened into a stare on Gale and the girl.

"I don't really know, ok?" he snapped and left her side.

"Jeez" she whispered under her breath.

"Madge, come sit by me!" Posy cried and Madge turned, smiling, at the little girl.

"Aw Pos, don't you want to sit by me?" Gale called from across the camp.

"No" the girl said her nose scrunching up, "you are mean"

Madge couldn't help herself, she smiled back at the man, "yeah you're mean, Gale"

* * *

"She's taking my place" he whispered to Bristel on the snare run.

"_What_?" the dark haired girl laughed.

"She's everywhere. They prefer her to me- I've been raising them practically my whole life and within a few days they don't even so much as glance at me" he glowered

"That's not true, Gale" Bristel whispered

"It is too" he snapped, "Thom gave me a black eye. Rory has Ma mad at me and the rest of the family. _Madge_ is playing distressed girl without a family. 'Oh poor me, no one cares.' it's bull" his voice was rising by the second

"Calm down" Bristel said, looking at his reddening face and his locked jaw

"I can't" he yelled right into her face. Bri stumbled back. Her heart was pounding and her bottom lip wavered. "Bri, oh god, I'm sorry. Hells teeth" he pulled her towards him but she was already out of sight, running back to camp.

Gale dashed through the forest, hoping that they would run into each other. He burst out of woods into the clearing of their camp. Thom had Bristel in a strong hold, his arm tensing around her middle and his other hand in her hair.

* * *

Madge took in Gale's wide eyes. She had never seen him so vulnerable. He looked around at his angry family. Still unsure, of what exactly happened. Madge knew though. She knew he'd snap. Probably took her head off in one bite.

"Gale" she stepped forward uneasily, he hardly moved. "I'll go on the snare run with you" she whispered and with all her might, got his legs working, following her into the woods.

She had no idea what she was doing, or where she was going, but she'd had it with destroying this family.

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**Erin**


	6. Chapter 6

**EmmaDSmile: Thank you, glad you like it!**

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Madge picked up her bag and followed Gale into the woods, not bothering to look back at his family. He was quiet, trudging through the brush, not making a sound. She tried to copy him, placing her feet this way and that to stop the clatter of noise.

It was starting to work. She could tell he was pretending that she wasn't there, breathing down his neck. But she was. Madge cleared her throat. "What?" he muttered and stopped, having her bump up against his back.

He tensed and she did too. Did that hurt him? The contact with his back, was it still sore? It didn't show on his face if it did. He reached down, slowly, taking a small rabbit from the noose. She looked away, heaving to herself. Gale smirked, "Haven't you seen anything dead before, Princess?"

"Of course" she snapped, she was forced to watch the hunger games every year with her father and his Capital friends. He let it go, dropping the rabbit into his sac. He stood up, his knees cracking loudly. She stepped forward and he grabbed her wrist, pressing her quickly against a tree.

The smell of him was intoxicating, the smell of Pine and fresh laundry. She looked away. "What are you doing?" she squealed

"What are _you _doing?" he hissed and drove his knee into her side, stopping her squirming. "You're taking over my family, turning them against me. Was this your plan; is this some kind of a joke?"

She had to stop breathing; her brain couldn't focus on anything but his smell. "No" she cried, "it wasn't my plan. I didn't have a plan. I'm not cruel, Gale" she fidgeted under his hard gaze. "I just wanted to be left alone, but Rory" she hissed out a breath his knee turning painfully into her hip.

"But Rory what, are you saying that _he _put you up to this that _he _turned everything against me?"

"I'm saying that Rory has a _crush _on me" she squealed, "Gale _you're hurting_ me" Madge wailed. She wasn't ready for this kind of treatment. He let her go, her head slamming painfully into the bark of the tree. Madge groaned, looking up at Gale's wide gray eyes.

"That's it" Gale snapped his fingers, "I get it" he looked back at her.

"You're a jerk" she spat, "I'm going to change my clothes" she scrambled away from him, tucking herself behind a grove of trees.

Madge looked at her side, the skin tender and raw there. She pressed a finger to it and flinched, pain wrenching up her ribs. She groaned. Her head was spinning. She looked back into the bag but her eyes couldn't focus.

She had hit the tree harder than she thought. She couldn't get the scent of him out of her head either. It was driving her crazy. As her shirt was thrown onto the ground, and a light pink shirt made its way into her hand. She groaned again.

She couldn't help herself, "_Gale_" she groaned, and swallowed back her vomit. She slumped forward towards the bag, uneasy. "Gale" she tried again

Gale couldn't believe his ears; _Rory_ had a crush on the _Mayor's Daughter_. He knew there was an explanation. That's why Prim was jealous and his family was mad at him. He wasn't respecting the girl that Rory had a crush on, "That's just stupid" Gale chuckled to himself.

He moved onto the next snare, when he heard his name. He turned, confused. He left the snare and brushed branches away from his eye, peeling through a dense part of the forest. Madge was leant forward, her shirt resting on the ground next to her.

He raised his eyebrows, knelling down next to her. There was a nice gash on the side of her head and her hair was drying with blood. "What?" he whispered and touched the bump on her head. She screamed. "I'm sorry" he called and jumped back

"No you didn't hurt me" she heaved, "just scared me"

Madge just wanted to lay down, "I hit my head on the tree"

"I see that"

"See it?" she couldn't even tell if the words were coming out of her mouth. She tried to look up at him but he stopped her, bringing her head down to her knees.

"Just breathe" he reminded her. "You did a number on yourself" he commented.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered and tried to look up at him

"Your head is bleeding"

"Bleeding?" she cried and this time, threw her head back to look at him. She was out like a light.

"Great." Gale muttered and lifted her over his shoulder. "This will be interesting for the family" he pushed back the branches again but was forced to turn around, grabbing her pack and her shirts littering the ground.

The man picked up his pack as well and cut another rabbit loose from the noose. The family looked up as he called out to them, "help" he yelled, "seriously. Help me" Gale called, "she's killing my shoulder"

Rory was the first one to him, slapping him across the face. "Damn" Gale bit out and let his foot come out to connect with his brother's stomach. "I'm sorry" he muttered and lowered Madge out on a sleeping bag.

"Mom!" Prim called and got down on her hands and knees, looking at the wound.

"Wait she's waking up" Thom said and grabbed her hand. Gale pulled away from the group, leaning against a tree.

Madge blinked slowly, turning away from the bright sunlight. She made eye contact with Thom, where was Gale? She asked herself and made an effort to look around for everyone. Before she could stop her tongue she murmured, "Where's Gale?"

"What did he do to you?" Rory yelled, coming into the picture.

"Hmm?" she asked and closed her eyes, groaning at the contact of fingers on the sore spot. "Don't touch me" she whispered

"_Madge _did Gale do this?" Hazelle's calm voice asked from next to her, or maybe she was behind her.

"No" Madge answered,

"She did it to herself, Ma" There, Madge thought, that's Gale.

"Madge what happened, Rory pressed, why did Gale do this to you?"

"Gale didn't do anything" Madge screamed and pushed everyone away from her, "I bumped my head against a tree"

They stood back with wide eyes. "I just got dizzy" she whispered, "That's all"

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**Erin**


	7. Chapter 7

**JJ: Rory was made to be with Prim. I mean come on they're perfect. PERFECT. Hope you like this chapter. **

**Tributedvictor1: Thanks for following, hope you like it! :D **

* * *

Everyone was staying clear of "Crazy Madgie" as Posy was calling her. She just wanted to have quiet. Her head was spinning and no one believed her story of, "I did it myself" Gale and Prim kept poking and prodding at her head.

Telling her they were checking for a "concussion." She didn't have a concussion or maybe she did. Gale handed her a cup. She looked up at him once and took a sip. "Its water" he smirked. She nodded slowly and chugged it back.

"That was needed" she laughed

"Good" he smiled, uncomfortable, he leaned forward, picking at a stray curl. "I feel like Rory is burning a hole in the back of my head" he whispered and she covered her mouth, laughing.

"Don't look now" she winked, he groaned and leaned away. "Just talk to him"

"Easy for you to say"

"Alright sure, let me at him" she put up her fists.

"Okay I'll try to talk to him… but I might end up with another black eye." Madge snickered

"You're look better than you do now"

"Hey thanks, Princess. I'll keep that in mind"

* * *

"So what, you're friends now?" Rory snapped. "You hate her, remember?"

"I don't know" Gale sighed and rested his head against a tree.

"You don't know?" Rory cracked a stick in half, "Gale she's the _Mayor's Daughter_"

"Isn't he dead…?" he wondered to the air.

"Cute" Rory sneered

"You weren't calling her that" Gale stuffed his hands into his jeans.

"No, you were"

"The theme of the night is I don't know" Gale said holding his hands up with surrender.

"Look… I like her"

"I know. It's obvious" he snickered

"I know you did that to her head" Rory said pressing a finger to his brother's chest.

"I swear I didn't" Rory didn't let it go and swung a fist around to meet his brother's face. Gale ducked, grabbing his arms and slamming them down. "One. She's too old for you. Two. I want to learn more about her and I don't know why. Three. You need to grow up and start talking to Prim"

"Prim? What does she have to do with this?"

"A lot more than you know"

"Then what about Bristel"

"What about her?"

* * *

As night fell Gale and Rory came back from their 'walk around the perimeter.' Madge tried not to stare but she wanted to know how the talk went.

She itched her chin with her shoulder, turning to look at them. Judging by their faces, it didn't go well. Gale caught her eye, his lips turning up at the ends. She could almost feel the blush run up her cheeks.

As she turned back again to see him, his eyes were still on her, "stop looking at me" she said under her breath. This happened a few times. Finally Madge made her way to the fire pit. Helping Mrs. Hawthorne and Mrs. Everdeen with the food.

"Ms. Undersee" he whispered in her ear and she shuttered, moving away from him. After dinner Bristel and Gale threw out the sleeping bags, in the same order as any other night. Gale shifted under Bri's glare. "What?" he asked her

"Aren't you going to move the bags around?" she asked raising an eyebrow at his bag and hers.

"What do you mean?" he sighed and rested a hand on his hip

"I mean don't you want to be by _Madge_?"

"I don't know" Gale shrugged. Madge smiled to herself, her face searching her hands on her lap.

Madge tossed and turned in her bag. Her hip throbbed and she wanted to give it some air. The truth was she couldn't sleep. She had too many thoughts taking apart her mind. Mostly thoughts about a tall, brooding boy.

She pushed back the flannel off her legs and climbed out, the hair on her arms rising in the cool evening air. She pulled on her rain boots and shuffled around the camp. She kept her arms in front of her pushing through the darkness around her.

The creek could be heard babbling under her as she skipped over the rocks with ease. Her dark pants blowing around at her knees. She sat down on the beach looking out onto the lake. Soon she found herself collecting firewood and performing the act of making a fire.

She pulled up her shirt, showing the skin off in the light of the fire. There was that smell again. The smell she couldn't stop thinking about. She looked down at the bruise on her side. "Sorry about that" he said gesturing to it. She pulled down her clean shirt, shrugging.

"It's not that bad" Just depriving sleep, she laughed to herself. He sat next to her, leaning against his elbows. They simultaneously looked up at the sky. It was shimmering with stars. "I've never star gazed before" she smiled and rolled her head to the side, looking at him.

"Never?" he laughed

"No, never." she rolled her head back up to the stars, "I've read about them" she said, as if it were obvious. "You see that there?" she asked him and pointed up to the sky. "That line of three little stars?"

"Yeah I see it"

"That's Orion's belt" she gestured to the sky, "it forms a man, a hunter of some sort"

"Okay…" he said and looked over at her

"It's a constellation- a group of stars that form a picture" she smiled and watched it for a moment, "like when you're watching clouds go by and you can pick out pictures in them, like rabbits and planes"

"Oh yeah I see" he nodded

"Do you?" she giggled, his eyes were dazzling in the orange light.

"I'm humoring you" he winked, "I see the belt, I don't exactly see the man" he looked back at her raised shirt, "and I see that nasty bruise"

"Yeah I got it from this nasty mean man" she said, pouting.

"Oh how horrible" he said pulling on her bottom lip. She felt the blush again.

"I sleep on my side" she said suddenly looking over at him, "and this" she gestured to the skin, "makes that difficult"

"If you want an honest to God apology" Gale said moving closer to her. "You're not going to like it"

"Try me" she smirked and moved closer to him as well. Gale froze for a minute, starring into her eyes. Then cupped her chin, running his fingers over the smooth skin. She tried to control her breathing. His eyes, his jaw, his smell. She couldn't even think straight.

He pressed his lips against hers. They were warm, slow, molded around her puckered lips. She closed her eyes and let a hand travel through his hair. He brushed a hand over her bruise. She groaned and pulled away.

"Ow" she hissed

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**Erin**

**Some will say it went to fast but Gale lives on the edge. **


	8. Chapter 8

**LittleMissEnigma: he is isn't he? lol :) it's alright it will get worse. **

**Mellarklover11: hahahaha I live for your comments! Thank you for supporting the story so much!**

* * *

"I'm so sorry" Gale gasped, and rubbed a hand through his hair.

"It's okay" Madge whispered and pulled down her pink shirt.

"I don't know why I did that in the first place" He glared at his hands.

"I do- you were angry" she said as if it was obvious.

"No, I mean the kiss" her stomach dropped to her feet.

"Right…" she said and looked away.

"It was really nice though" he pulled her chin back to him, enclosing her lips again. She shuttered, reaching out to grip his shirt. They spit apart, heaving into the night air.

"Yeah it was" she huffed and pushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. He pulled her onto his lap, kissing along her jaw line, ending on sucking her bottom lip. Madge squeaked.

"We should go back, Madge" he whispered into her hair. "Just so no one notices we're gone"

"Of course" she murmured her head spinning with questions. They kept to themselves, walking through the woods. Until they were about to cross the creek, Gale grabbed her hand, stabilizing her on the slippery rocks. "Thank you" she whispered.

He pulled her into his open arms. She rested her head on his chest, feeling his heartbeat against her cheek. She looked up, to ask one of the questions bouncing around her brain. Instead his lips melted against hers. "I can't get you out of my head" Gale muttered, his voice husky.

* * *

Madge was sure she couldn't sleep now. If she thought it was hard before with all the rocks pressing into her bruise. It was even harder now with Gale in her mind. Two sleeping bags over, Gale, was having the same problem.

He couldn't stop tossing and turning. He sat up; looking over at the little blonde girl but her head was covered completely by sleeping bag. Gale sighed, resting his arms across his chest. Was it hard counting sheep? He asked himself and closed his grey eyes.

* * *

Madge groaned and looked up at the sky. Why didn't she even try closing her eyes? The sun was peeking through the foliage in front of her. "Damn" she whispered and sat up. Madge glanced around at the few packed sleeping bags.

Gale sat up as well, smiling over at her. She ignored him, stretching her arms above her head until they cracked. Hazelle and Posy came from the creek, their hair wet and drying. Madge offered a sleepy smile. Posy let go of her mother's hand, rushing towards the blonde girl.

Madge's eyes went wide as she realized the little girl wasn't slowing down. Posy connected with Madge hard. "Humph" the blonde grunted and sucking in a breath. Posy wrapped her arms around the older girl's middle. "Ow, Posy" she whispered and pushed the dark-haired girl away slowly.

"Careful squirt" Gale's voice murmured from behind her. "Madge is hurt here" he lifted the hem of her shirt, showing off the forming bruise. Posy crinkled her nose.

"That looks owey" she poked at the discoloration and Madge cried out, ending in laughter as Gale yelled,

"What are you thinking, kid?" rubbing a hand through her wet locks.

"Sorry Madge" she whispered

"It's alright" The blonde said poking the girl's stomach. Posy was called over by Hazelle, who ran a towel through her hair. Madge looked back at Gale. "I think you're stalking me" she mused

"You think?" he grinned and sat down next to her.

"Yeah I think so" his eyes were sparkling, laughing at her.

"Do you want to get breakfast with me?" he asked pulling on her arm

"Not particularly" she smirked, "I think I'll stay curled up in my bag for a little longer" he laughed

"Okay fine I'll go by myself"

"I'll go with you, Hawthorne" The two looked over at Bristel, her bangs messed up from sleep.

"Great" he smiled and stood up, helping her out of her sleeping bag. Madge narrowed her eyes. They're friends she reminded herself, just friends. They disappeared into the forest, Gale's arm draped over Bristel's shoulders.

"What has your panties in a twist?" Thom wondered.

"Nothing" she snapped and snuggled back under the flannel.

"Sure doesn't seem like nothing"

"Was it something that Gale said?" Rory asked, sitting up next to her.

"No" Madge smiled and looked over at him.

"Was it something that Gale did?" she faltered, wondering if she should tell the two about last night.

"No" she shrugged.

"You had to think about it" Thom pushed her over

"Did not" she giggled

"What did he do?" Rory asked his eyes wide. She swallowed and cleared her throat. She was not getting out of this one.

"He… kissed me last night" Thom and Rory sputtered, their eyes even more comically wide.

"And…?" Thom pushed, "how was the sex?"

"Thom!" both Rory and Madge cried out, their faces turning bright red.

"Oh so it didn't get that far?" he looked off put.

"Jeez" Madge sighed and smiled

"How was it?" Thom wondered, suddenly serious

"Good" she giggled, "sudden"

"I can't believe were having this conversation" Rory grumbled

"Hey, you asked" Thom said raising his eyebrows.

"Well, I'm sorry I asked" he left them, swearing under his breath. Thom made a face.

"What is that for?" she laughed

"Bristel" he said quietly and she moved her bag over a little closer to him.

"What about her?" she whispered and looked around.

"She's in love with Gale"

"She is?" Madge cried and looked around at the group.

"Yeah isn't it obvious?"

* * *

"I saw you get up last night" Bristel said leaning into Gale.

"Yeah I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts"

"I bet that Madge is running through your head" she bit her lip

"She is" Gale sighed, dreamily. Bristel snorted,

"Please, you don't actually _like _her right?"

"I think I do" Gale smiled and looked down at his friend

"You have got to be kidding me" she pushed Gale's arm off her shoulder, halting them both.

"I'm not joking, Bri" he said and shook his head.

"What about Rory?"

"You think that I should be worried about my kid brother stealing my girl?" he laughed

"_Your girl_?" she smirked, "she hardly thinks about you"

"We kissed last night" he blurted, "When I got up to walk around" he continued, "I was following Madge. I wanted to see if she was alright from earlier" he shrugged, not meeting her eye, "I was also imagining her falling into the creek and breaking her ankle. Since I decided she was accident prone"

"What about me?" Bristel asked in a low calm voice. Gale's stomach dropped.

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**Stayin' Erin.**


	9. Chapter 9

**JJ: Yeah I noticed that. A few blanks. I'm still trying to fix that- any suggestions?**

**mellarklover11: thank you thank you!**

**Visitor to chapter 4: Thank you!**

**Thanks to _all _my followers! Love you all! Thanks for following tomatocream!**

* * *

"What about you?" he asked

"Well… I mean" she whispered, "forget it" she said and pushed past him

"Bri, what?" he wondered and grabbed her tanned arm, pulling her back

"Nothing, Gale" she muttered and looked down at her feet.

"Is this about Madge?" his eyebrows knitted together

"No" she sighed, "please- just let it go" they crashed through the underbrush

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"_Gale_" she smirked but rubbed her arm

"We're not really officially together yet" Gale sighed, she raised an eyebrow.

"What does that mean?" she snorted

"It means I haven't said anything about it- other than it was a good kiss"

"Men are all the same" she winked

"Yeah…"

"What do you think about her?"

"I don't… I'm not supposed to"

"There you go" she giggled

"I don't know what to do" he pretended to hit his face against a tree

"Well… let's just start with" she said, and he turned to look at her, "you're a moron"

"Thanks Bri" he smirked and rested his forehead back onto the tree

"I don't know what you want me to say" she shrugged, "you _said _that you liked her" he groaned

"I know" he sighed again, "let's talk about this later"

"I need to get this off my chest" her face was bright red and she was shifting herself behind a tree, her dark hair falling over her wide brown eyes.

"Shoot" he mumbled from looking at the fence.

"I like you" she whispered and closed her eyes.

"What?" he asked and looked back, "sorry I didn't catch that" Bristel pursed her lips,

"I said- I like you" he stood there dazed

"I know…" he grinned

"What?" it was her turn to look confused

"We're friends" he said rolling his eyes.

"No Gale- like I _like _you" she said pushing her words

"Oh" his smile fell, "Ohhhhh" he rubbed the back of his head

"Yeah" she moved to the next tree, her arm embracing it

"That's what you meant when you said what about me"

"Right" she whispered

No one looked up when they returned to the camp. Bristel headed down to the water with Hazelle, Posy, and the Everdeens. Madge and Thom were missing and Rory mumbled something about them going off to kill in the grove.

"_What_?" Gale asked him, grabbing onto his brother's forearm

"Didn't you know?" Rory smirked, "they're together"

"You've been gone for hours" Vick added, "you missed a lot"

"Pretty much gone the whole day" Rory agreed

"They can't start a relationship in a day" Gale said, now gripping Rory's t-shirt. His brother shook him off

"Sure they can"

"We're out here alone in the wild" Vick said, shrugging

"Yeah it's time we start pairing up, you know for survival" Rory winked. Gale hissed.

"Rory's pairing up with Prim"

"_Vick?!_" Rory yelled, turning some kind of purple and starring down at his younger brother

"She's your age"

"_So?!_"

"And they're in the grove?" Gale pressed, getting the two boy's attention

"Well I think so" Rory crossed his arms over his chest, "what is it to you?"

"Gale is going to kill you" Madge giggled quietly.

"Shhh" Thom gleamed, "he thinks we're in the grove" Madge rolled her eyes.

"What are we suppose to do when he goes?"

"We jump down and work around the camp"

"Jump?" she squealed, Thom pressed his hand over her lips

"Shhh" they looked down at the three boys. They hardly looked up at the tree line or the dangling feet coming out of the leaves and branches.

"This is quite entertaining" Madge whispered

"It is" Thom smiled, "by the way I'll catch you" she raised an eyebrow, "when you jump"

"Oh right" she shrugged, "I think I might need a mattress or two" she admitted, "or a ladder" she looked back towards the bushes on the ground, "actually I think I'll just stay up here and never come down"

"Baby" he said from the corner of his mouth

"I know" Gale stormed out of the forest, in the direction of the grove.

"That's great" Thom laughed, Rory turned stretching his arms up and looking up at them. He winked.

"I take it back… Rory is going to be killed by Gale" Madge whispered

"Come on, sweetheart" Thom plummeted towards the ground. She cringed

"I was serious" she called down

"Great, and now you're going to jump"

"_Thom_, _Rory_" she whined

"Guess you'll be up there all night" Rory said, "that's too bad" he nodded, "you have to sleep up there with all the bugs and owls and lizard things" she shivered, imagining

"_RORY_"

"Hell's teeth, he must have sprinted all the way there" Rory and Thom looked at each other, with wide eyes. Madge froze watching their exchange.

"How am I going to explain this?" she squealed

"JUMP" Rory and Thom said at the same time. Madge didn't hesitate this time. Just pushed herself off the branch and flared her arms, trying to hold back screams. She hit the ground. Hard.

"Oh I was going to catch you" Thom said, looking at her rolling around.

"Ugh… my face" she groaned and reached a hand up to the stinging skin.

"Yeah it hurts me too" Thom joked, she looked up, glaring. "Oh sh- it" he covered his mouth.

"What?" she cried, "What?" she asked Rory, who was pale.

"You're" Rory started and looked away, covering his mouth with a fist. She tried to stand and gasped unable to feel her ankle.

"Do I have an ankle?" Madge panicked

"Why wouldn't you?" Thom whispered and squatted down in front of her, "yeah.. It's broken though. Or just sprained. I don't know I'm no doctor"

"I think Gale is going to be more mad about all of this" Rory said gesturing to Madge. Just as Madge was about to ask, Gale was storming out of the forest and into the clearing. Rory and Thom fell in line in front of her. Since she was now crying on the ground behind them.

"Care to explain?" Madge covered her eyes but it wasn't taking the pain away.

"Sure" Thom coughed, "but what am I explaining?"

"_What you're doing with Madge_" Gale fumed

"Well…" Rory said trying to get his brother's attention. It didn't work.

"We're figuring out how to move her"

"Move her?" Gale hissed and looked between his friend and brother

"Yeah" Rory nodded and the two boys moved aside. It was quiet and Madge moved her hands away from her face to look over at the three of them. Gale covered his mouth as well his eyes darting away, and filling with panic tears.

"Someone _please _get me a mirror" Madge cried, "_Right now_"

"It's not going to be a pretty picture" Thom said. Rory whistled,

"Say that again"

* * *

**Reviewww please!**

**Erin**


	10. Chapter 10

**JJ: I tried on this chapter but I don't think I'm getting it haha need more practice**

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**Bright Lights and White Nights: Thanks for following! **

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"It's not going to be a pretty picture" Thom smirked at Rory's glare. Madge gagged and groaned when the pain seared through her. She reached up to put a finger to the skin.

"Don't" Thom warned but it was too late. Madge already had sent a tremor through her skin, raising goosebumps on her arms. She looked down at her hand, covered with blood and gagged again.

"She's in shock" Mrs. Everdeen said walking into the camp. She hardly said anything since they got to this camp. The mother didn't look at anyone she passed just stomped over the sticks and brush to Madge. "Get my kit and a sleeping bag, Rory" she said quietly. She gripped Madge's chin.

It was strong. She turned Madge's head to the side; she poked at the skin around the wound. "Gah" Madge cried and tried to pull away.

"Needs stitches" she said to no one in particular. Rory's heavy running footsteps came up and Madge struggled out of Mrs. Everdeen's prodding. "Hold still" she commanded.

"We should give her some-" Gale started but stopped suddenly. Madge couldn't figure out what they were talking about. Again she tried to pull away.

"Hold _still_" Madge bit her lip, hard. Did stitches hurt? She wondered and feared the worst.

Finally she cleared her throat, "do stitches hurt?" she tried to her best to sound curious but it was obvious through her voice that she was terrified.

"Just give her the-"Gale tried again. Mrs. Everdeen dropped her hand and Madge immediately turned her head to look at all of them. Her hair was matted with blood from clinging to the wound and she brushed it away.

There was the needle and the black thread hanging off it. Mrs. Everdeen didn't look up from the sterile smell of alcohol dripping off the spike. She gulped. Thom got down and sat next to her. "Want me to hold your hand?" he asked

She just stared at him. Her body was shaking and Ginger Everdeen pointed to the sleeping bag. "Put her here" Thom didn't hesitate to pick her up under the legs and drop her carefully onto the slick fabric. Thom lifted her head and set it on his lap.

"Mrs. Everdeen-"Gale started again and this time she looked over at him.

"There's no use. She'll probably faint before the needle touches skin" Madge frowned and Gale growled from behind Rory.

"Use it" he hissed, tightening his fists at his sides. Ginger reached out, the bag's zipper flopping forward under her finger. She leaned over the black bag and sunk her hand in pulling out a long narrow bottle. Madge gurgled trying to get out a response to it. Instead she moved away from it.

"You still have it?" she whispered, Ginger nodded.

"What is she talking about?" Gale sighed.

"Where do you think we got this?" Ginger mumbled and went back to the needle in her hand.

"I thought you had it in a back closet"

"No" she said dryly.

"I don't want that" Madge interrupted, "I'll take the pain" Ginger Everdeen turned to look at Gale, raising an eyebrow.

"Madge" he pleated

"I saw my mother use it for years" she snapped, and turned her bloody face towards Mrs. Everdeen. "I don't want it in me too" she closed her eyes and focused on Thom's fingers pulling through her tangles. She let out a strangled breath.

The needle was cold against the pestering skin and Madge couldn't take the pain anymore. So she was sure how much more she could take. She took a deep breath and swallowed back her spit. The piercing wasn't as bad as the swelling feel in her nerves.

It was harsh all the same and she squeezed her eyes further, baring her teeth. The motion didn't help much. She tried not to count how many times her skin was pulled in the wrong direction. "Relax" Mrs. Everdeen's consternated voice rained down.

She relaxed her face but it didn't as long as she expected it to. 5 stitches she counted so far. Madge opened her eyes, as Hazelle ran to her side with Posy. Gale was there in a second, dragging Posy out of view. "Oh" she sighed, "how did this happen?"

"She fell out of a tree" Thom whispered

"What was she doing in a tree?" Hazelle asked her eyebrows shooting up to her hairline.

"Ask Rory" he murmured

"Ask Thom" the boy's voice accused when his mother shot him a look.

"How much longer?" Madge gritted out through her teeth.

"Only two left" She held her breath until it was done.

"Will it scar?" Hazelle asked suddenly, looking straight at Ginger Everdeen.

"No doubt"

"Badly?" Mrs. Hawthorne pressed

"I would say so" Mrs. Everdeen said taking Madge's chin back into her hands and turning to look at her work. Madge cringed. "The scar will be pinkish and clear as day without make-up on" That's horrible she thought imagining looking into a mirror.

Gale began swearing under his breath. "Stupid no good" he said loudly walking straight up to Rory.

"It wasn't his fault" Thom said, "It was mine" Thom pushed Madge's head away from him, when Mrs. Everdeen had it covered with a bandage. The three were carted off into the forest to settle their argument by Vick and Hazelle.

Vick stood wide eyed then in front of Madge. "Does it hurt?" he asked, walking forward.

"A little" she lied

"You need rest" Mrs. Everdeen said, curtly and got up making her way over to her daughter, already making dinner. Bristel hardly said anything, but Madge was sure she was celebrating the scar. Madge was sure it would be ugly.

"Could you grab my bag, Vick?" she asked politely, and felt the sting of the wound on her cheek. He didn't hesitate picking up the tan backpack and running over to her with it in tow. He dropped it at her feet. "Thank you" she smiled and pulled the bag closer.

It was now covered with grass stains but at one time it was her bag for school. She would carry her books and papers in it from class to class and then back home again. The straps were nice leather and could be loosened or tightened for a certain person.

Madge pulled the drawstring away from her and pulled the opening outwards. She glanced in, cautious of her dizzying head. She tore around the shirts, two pairs of jeans and a blue skirt. Until she came around the little things she had stolen from her dresser.

A crystal butterfly barrette, a comb, and a handheld mirror from her mother. She pulled it out and wrapped her hand around the curved handle. She as wary of seeing her reflection, knowing she wasn't in her best shape.

She glanced into the mirror. "Ah jeez" even her hair wasn't the pristine blonde that it used to be. It was the literal term for dirty blonde. She cringed. Slowly as if to put it off she looked at the bandage. It had some gauze under it.

The bandage ran from just under her right eye to just before the corner of her mouth. "It's that long" Gale said answering her unanswered question. She looked up, but he was blurred behind the unshed tears. "Scars aren't that bad" he said dully, "they just remind you that you're alive"

"That doesn't make sense" she sniffled. He shrugged.

"I was trying to sound philosophical"

**Reviewwww please! :) **

**Erin**


	11. Chapter 11

**anonime: thanks!**

**abc: somehow I have to moderate my anon reviewers so I don't always have time to moderate right away haha I always get your reviews ^^ Thanks for submitting them!**

**mellarklover11: Perf... so much better than perfect lol lol thanks for reviewing! so glad you love it**

**JJ: RIGHT?! Awesome idea on my part lol jkkkk glad you liked it!**

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"Well, it failed" she sighed and laid back down. He huffed and stood up, leaving her. She brought her hands in front of her face but winced as she was about to set them down over her eyes.

"Does it hurt _now_?" Posy asked running into view.

"Sort of" The blonde mumbled, trying to describe the painful throbbing of blood. Posy leaned forward looking at the bandage.

"It's a little bloody"

"Oh no" Mrs. Everdeen called from the fire and came over, ripping the bandage off. Madge cried out, her eyes freeing the tears. The back of her throat filled with bile, most of the stitches stayed intact, as Madge could still feel the pull of each and every one of them. "We might need to add a stitch. Here" she said but Madge couldn't see where she was pointing.

"Can I see?" she asked, whispering.

"Better not" Gale's voice said from out of vision.

"I'm not weak and feeble" she snapped at him

"Give her the mirror" Gale sighed and moved the ferns behind her as he was planning to sit. Madge took her mirror from Mrs. Everdeen, studying the stitches.

"I should have listened to you" she sighed, talking to Gale over her shoulder.

"They're not that bad" Madge groaned

"They're worse than bad"

"Don't move" Mrs. Everdeen said sternly and Madge froze up, closing her eyes, shut. She felt Gale shift behind her.

"Wait" he called out. Madge let out a strangled breath,

"I told you, that I don't want the _morphling_" Her head was lifted slowly and his fingers soothed through her hair, bringing over his leg. He moved slowly under her and ran a finger under the scar. She sighed.

"Okay" he said to Ms. Everdeen. Madge tensed up again but Gale's fingers in her hair and along her neck was making her dizzy. The pain was worse this time and she almost wanted to pull away and hide from the needle.

"This is my new fear" she growled

"What stitches or needles?" he asked, casting a shadow over her closed eyes, as he looked over her.

"Both" she smiled slightly, but she cringed when it hurt.

"Don't move" Mrs. Everdeen reminded her.

"Isitgoingtobeoversoon?" she garbled

"Yes, Madge" Gale whispered, "focus on this" he moved his fingers along her chin and the tenseness in her neck and collarbone. She tried but Mrs. Everdeen's fingers were really sinking into her skin.

"Gale" she tried to tell him but by the time the words slinked out of her mouth it was all over. Gauze pulled against the black ends of each tie-off. "No" she said turning her head away from it. "I don't want my face to look like a beehive"

"It's for the best, Madge" Gale said from the corner of his mouth. She finally looked at him. His eyes were tailed on her face, the stitches.

"Don't look at them" she murmured

"Look at her" Bristel said looking over at Thom

"What am I looking at?" Thom asked, looking directly at the open-aired stitches.

"Just the way she's with Gale" She said extending a shaking hand towards the two. Thom had hardly noticed Gale there.

"Uh…" he said cleverly.

"Isn't it sick?" she hissed, pushing back her bangs, "the way she's clinging to him?"

"Bri… she's getting stitches. They suck" Thom said, his eyebrows knitting together, "she held onto me the same way"

"She's totally using him" Bri said completely ignoring Thom's reasoning.

"You should confront her with these accusations" Thom said loudly, "get to know her. I mean she's not going anywhere"

"Maybe I'll leave" Thom snorted,

"Yeah, you want to leave this? Be on your own?"

"I could do it" He rolled his eyes

"Sure for two days then come running back"

"I'll take Madge with me" Bristel said seriously

"That's smart." Thom smirked, imagining, Bristel and Madge alone in the wilderness.

"I'm going to call it a girl's excursion" Bristel hoisted herself off the log and made her way over to Madge and Gale.

"Don't look at them" Madge whispered

"I'm not" Gale whispered back.

"I'm looking at them. They don't look that bad" Bristel said forcing herself into the conversation.

"They don't?" Bristel wanted to remark that her eyes were too big for her face, but she refrained.

"Not at all" she continued, "and you could always hide the scar with your hair or with a tan"

"That's true…" Madge murmured, unfortunately Bristel made eye contact with Gale. He did not look convinced or amused by this conversation.

"I have this idea…"

"About my scar?" Madge cut in and Bristel held back a snarl for being interrupted

"Err… no… completely different"

"Oh are you talking to me or Gale?" Bristel could barely stand the arm that entailed around Madge's skinny waist when the blonde said his name.

"You actually" Bristel tried again, "so I was thinking about having a camp out away from the camp out" Madge just stared, "you know like roughing it without the boys to show them we can do it ourselves"

"Can we do it ourselves?" Madge asked, her eyebrows raising and her mouth twisting up in question.

"That's the thing. I think we can, but if we can't the boys can feel more superior than they already are" Now Gale had on his signature smirk, and brooding thinking grey eyes. Madge looked up at him.

"What do you think?" she asked him.

"Do you think you should go out there with those new stitches?" he asked, looking slightly worried.

"He's trying to talk you out of it! Don't take the bait" Bristel dearly wanted to cross her fingers behind her back.

"I really want to out shine the boys" Madge smirked, "then everyone can stop looking down on me"

"No one looks down on you, Madge" Gale grumbled but dared Bri to say otherwise

"No they don't" Bristel agreed

"Should I be cleared by Mrs. E?" Madge asked the two of them

"She's just going to say no running, jumping, climbing trees, or swimming" Gale said

"So we're doing this?" Bristel demanded excitedly

"Yeah we're doing this" Madge scrambled up to find her nurse. That left Gale, Bri, and a eavesdropping Thom.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into" Thom laughed

"I hope you're not leading her to her _death_" Gale snapped

"Chill out guys" Bristel said leaning back, on her pack. "Let nature take its course"

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**Reviewww it up please! :D **

**You think Bri is gonna like kill Madge? Or... the other way around O.o FOOD FOR THOUGHT. lol**

**Erin**


	12. Chapter 12

**mellarklover11: thanks so much again! :D **

**JJ: *hands you a cupcake***

**OH YEAH and for anyone wondering who Ginger Everdeen it was just Prim and Katniss's mom...**

**Guys I'm feeling something evil coming on *devious smile***

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Madge came back, a smile on her face, "You were right, Gale" she giggled. "Mrs. Everdeen said exactly what you said"

"I know" he smiled and patted the ground next to him. Bristel offered her a smile,

"So you were clear?"

"I was" Madge said nodding her head, excitedly, but she winced.

"Take it easy there" Thom said steadying her shoulder.

"We'll leave tonight" Bri said looking at the boys, "and don't follow or check up on us" she warned narrowing her eyes.

Thom held up his hands in surrender, "I won't I swear"

"I'm not promising anything" Gale said smirking, "I'm in charge of everyone's safety"

"We can do this" Madge said, leaning over to him, "don't rain on our parade"

"I'll try not to" he said looking straight at Bristel, "but if anything goes wrong" he warned, "and I'm not there" he let it go. They got it.

"Awesome pep talk" Thom said, "now do we have a going away party tonight then or what?"

The red licks flaring from the fire intrigued Madge. It wasn't that she was scared. She was just deathly nervous. Could they do it? She knew it was only for a couple of days, but would the reality be too much to handle?

Bristel offered her a hand, and Madge pulled up, next to her. They looked around the fire with determined smiles. They couldn't show any lingering worries on their faces. "Where are you going to be?" Gale asked again, for the fourth time.

"West a mile or two. By the river, just inside the forest. We'll be back in three days" Bristel recited to Gale. He looked at Madge and opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"We'll be fine" she said and dared him to say otherwise. He nodded curtly,

"Alright then" he handed her backpack to her. "Have fun?" Gale said and Thom laughed,

"Good luck" he added. Madge looked at Bristel, since she was the person leading them on this thing. He slumped her arm around the short girl's shoulders.

"Come on Madge, we're off on an adventure" Madge bit her lip but followed Bristel reluctantly into the darkening forest. Just as they were about to disappear into the tree line, the girl looked back at Gale one last time.

"They're gonna die" Rory said and shuffled off

"That's not something to joke about"

"Come on" Thom said rubbing his friend's shoulder, "let's go kill some fish for dinner, then you'll feel better"

"Is killing things always the answer?" Gale laughed

Madge trudged through the grass, following Bristel a few paces ahead. She was scouting around the trees, looking for berry bushes. "Aha!" she squealed and held up a berry for Madge.

"Oh, that's not edible" the blonde said quickly tearing it out of Bri's hand.

"What do you mean?" Bristel said looking back at the bush.

"Those are poisonous" Madge growled, "didn't you watch the hunger games?" she cried.

Bristel shook her head, "hardly" they walked ahead, Madge's head spinning with the thought of Bristel eating the berry. Finally the brown haired girl grinned. "Alright I _know _these are fine" she held up a bright plump strawberry.

"Yeah those are fine" Madge grinned.

"Here" Bristel handed one out to her.

"Well… they're fine for you. I'm allergic" Madge shrugged and kept walking.

"Allergic?" Bristel squealed, "but Gale sold those to you all the time"

"They were for my mother" she sighed, "she loved strawberries more than anything and my father ate them like chips"

"But you handled the berries, Gale told me once" Bristel continued

"I can touch them. Just not eat them. I get horribly sick. I only went to fetch them to see Gale" Madge blushed, looking back at the dark haired girl.

"Oh" Bristel said and turned away, gathering more berries and dropping them into a sac.

"Do you have allergies?" Madge asked, wondering.

"Not that I know of" Bristel smiled

"They can check for you at hospitals"

"_Madge _do you _see _a hospital around here?" the blonde laughed,

"No- I was just saying" Madge said, "some liked to be checked because you can die over some"

"You can die of an allergy?"

"Yeah, it doesn't happen a lot though. Some rare cases"

"Why is that?"

"They have medicines to stop the reaction" Madge knew, she used to have to carry a vile and needle around with her, until she was checked out not to carry it anymore.

"Oh, right" they walked side by side, stepping around the broken branches and tree roots. "When it gets a little darker we should make a fire and pick out a camp site"

"Alright" Madge murmured. The sun dropped behind the horizon and Bristel stepped out of the forest towards a clearing, she set down her pack and dropped the firewood she had been carrying. Madge waited around, and dropped her pack next to Bristel's.

"I have this idea that in the morning, we give the other camp a wakeup call"

"What do you mean?" Madge asked, and sat next to her.

"You'll scream Gale's name a couple of times and see if he comes running"

"That's _horrible_" Madge gasped and covered her mouth

"It's just a test" Bristel said, "I think he'd come and that way we'll know that we're not out of range yet"

"I can't really scream though" Madge whispered

"Why not?" Bristel asked looking over, "Oh yeah you're stitches" they sat in silence, looking down at the embers growing. "You should still try"

"Yeah, I'll try" Madge dragged her pack over, "I have a few things to eat in here" she said her blonde hair falling into the opening of the backpack when she looked in.

"Like what?" they took out the cans and laid them out, selecting one.

"I'm not sure if our snares will do anything" Madge smiled

"Yeah they probably won't" Bristel giggled and shrugged,

"We'll still prove to them that we did it"

"And that's all that matters" Madge nodded

"Exactly!" Bristel laughed, they cooked the food in a tin and ate across from each other, taking in the light from the fire. Madge rolled out their sleeping bags next to each other and the two laid out to look at the stars,

"Do you see those three stars there?" Madge asked Bristel and pointed up at the sky.

"Yeah" Bristel whispered, "that's Orion"

"You know?" Madge grinned and sat up, surprised.

"Yeah, Gale showed me" Bristel said, smiling softly.

"I showed Gale" Madge laughed. They slipped into the bags, and closed their eyes. Morning would probably come faster than they thought.

**Hey, review please! :) Check out my new Gadge AU called Fly Over States as well! Oh and my best friend just recently started a story too. It's not Gadge or anything just tributes like killing each other hahaha anyway can you please read it for her? She's been nagging at me to do this. Her name is Taymatoes and the name is The Worst Odds. **

**Erin**


	13. Chapter 13

**JJ: Cupcakes are yummy. Lol. Thanks so much! I'm trying really hard haha. **

**mellarklover11: Thanks as usual :D **

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Gale tied up the sleeping bags with a heavy heart. This was usually Bristel's job. Thom brought over Posy's and Vick's and dropped them next to his friend. Gale didn't look up. He just stood and walked off towards the empty fire pit. The kids had gone off for firewood.

"Gale, they're both fine" Hazelle's voice wavered over the camp.

"I know, Ma" he answered but his voice wasn't convincing.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Prim asked, walking over.

"I don't know" he whispered and loomed over her, "but I have this feeling, you know?"

"I know" her eyes got wide, "I have the same feeling"

Madge woke up, her back cracking as she rolled up on each vertebrae. She groaned, and stretched her arms behind her head.

"Morning, sleepy head" Bristel grinned from the campfire. Madge laughed,

"Morning" she pushed the flannel off her and rolled out onto the wet grass. "I love dew" she said looking at Bri.

"Me too" she nodded, "it's the best part of the morning, and fog. I love fog"

"Yeah fog in the early morning, just when the sun is coming up" Madge agreed.

"There you go" Bristel laughed, and showed her the pan. "Food?"

They sat together, chewing and keeping to her thoughts. Finally Madge opened her mouth; "I'm not trying to steal Gale from you" she whispered and looked down at her grimy hands.

"I know" Bri whispered back. She took another bite of food.

"I didn't know you two were…" Madge started

"We're not though" Bristel sighed and shook her head.

"You're not?" Madge looked over, confused.

"Nor will we be ever" she smiled, "we're too alike"

"Oh" Madge hadn't thought about that.

"Opposites attract, remember?" Bristel winked, nudging Madge with her shoulder.

"MM yeah I heard that once" Madge laughed and looked back at her food.

"Don't worry about me" Bristel said, "I think I can find _someone _in this forest. Maybe I'll marry a squirrel" they laughed freely, taking up the peacefulness of the woods around them.

"You can marry Thom" Madge said her blue eyes glinting in amusement.

"That's pleasant company" Bristel joked

"Oh come on he isn't _that_ bad" the dark hair girl made a face, "he isn't"

"No he isn't" Bristel blushed. Madge took in a deep breath, smiling,

"You like him" she said

"Do not" Bristel said looking away

"Oh my god, you have a crush on Thom!"

"Fine, but you're not going to tell him" Bristel hissed

"I won't" Madge said and pressed her thumb to her pointer and ran it over her lips, "my lips are sealed"

"They better be" Bristel smiled. They cleaned up the area.

"Hey are we going to do that thing?" Madge said, brushing her hair back.

"What thing?" Bristel said, standing up.

"The screaming" she laughed

"Can we?" Bristel jumped up and down.

"I don't see why not"

"Gale's going to be really mad." Bristel said seriously, "if we do it and he comes"

"Yeah that's true" they stood there looking at the ground.

"Gale!" Bristel shrieked and Madge's head snapped up, making eye contact with her.

"Gale!" Madge screamed, and cringed at the pull of the stitches. They waited.

"Gale!" his head shot up from the lake and turned in the direction of his name.

"Was… that your name?" Rory asked, walking up beside him.

"I thought so, you heard it too?"

"Yeah I did, it's not from our camp though." Gale's hands became clammy.

"Not from _our _camp" He looked at his little brother's

"That's what I said" Rory said and cocked an eyebrow.

"But it came from another camp" Gale said more slowly.

"GALE" his head snapped back to the woods.

"That was Madge" his heart left his body. He turned to Rory, "that was Madge"

"Well don't throw up" Rory smirked.

"GALE"

"That was Bristel" his body tingled.

"Gale" Thom said running out of the forest.

"I know" Gale said and met his friend at the forest edge.

"What are we going to do?" Thom said his grey eyes wide.

"I…" Gale swallowed. "We should go"

"Are you sure?" Thom wondered and looked at Rory.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Gale shouted, "Are you _shitting me_?" Thom backed up to a tree

"It could be a test"

"They wouldn't do that." He whispered

"Yeah they would" Rory smirked

"Yeah they defiantly would" Thom nodded

"Gale!" Madge's voice was pained. Gale's heart thumped rapidly in his chest.

"I just got to check" he tore away from the two and ran with all his might through the forest.

"Are you ok?"Bristel said, her hands resting on her thighs as she leaned over.

"Yeah these are hurting a little" Madge said pointing to the bandage

"You don't have to do it again" Bristel shrugged, "he is either on his way or not coming"

"I hope he isn't on his way" Madge giggled, "he is going to seriously _kill_"

"Yeah I know" Bristel laughed, "oh well. It will be worth it to see him off his rocker"

"Are you sure?" Madge said, "Wouldn't that be kind of scary?"

"What, Gale mad?"

"Yeah"

"Do you doubt our work?" Bristel smirked

"What do you mean?"

"He is going to be so worried about _you_"

"Me?" the blond squealed

"Please. He is so smitten"

"Are we talking about the same Gale?" Madge smiled

"You haven't noticed? You're the only thing he thinks about"

"How do you know?" she giggled, "are you a mind reader, Bri?"

"Only in my past time" the girls erupted in a fit of laughter, falling over each other.

"This is great" their heads snapped up, looking at the tall man in between the trees. He stepped out his grey eyes blazing. "You're laughing and having a great time. _Meanwhile _I'm hauling through the trees like an idiot looking for the man screaming fire"

"Nice of you to show up" Bristel smirked, "we need some help"

Madge widened her eyes and nodded, "yeah Gale" she said, trying her best to look innocent

He took the bait, "what do you need help with?" he murmured

"We forgot how to set a snare" Bristel sighed

"What did you eat last night and this morning?" he demanded

"Some things I had in my pack" Madge said and pouted, "It wasn't nearly enough though"

"Please Gale?" Madge had never seen Bristel bat her eyelashes, but she wish she had. Bristel could get the _President _to do anything with those dark lashes. Gale took them into the forest and showed them slowly, talking loudly so they caught every direction.

"Genius" Madge whispered to her

"I know" Bristel whispered back. Gale looked back and they offered head nods and smiles. He looked back at his snare. Later, they checked the two snares Gale made. Both had something.

"You skin it" Madge sighed and pushed the rabbit towards Bristel

"_You_ skin it" she said

"_I _don't know how" Madge smirked, she won this argument.

"Damn that's true"

"I'll make broth and we can make it stew or something"

"After _this _I don't think I'll be hungry for dinner"

**Reviewww please! Don't hesitate to read my Golden Strands' series of Gadge. And my other stories Fly Over States, Canary in a Coal Mine and Escape! :) **

**Stayin' Erin...! **

**(BTW- I have like four of these chapters written. So the updates will be everyday. BE EXCITED.)**


	14. Chapter 14

**mellarklover11: I did! Thanks for you awesomeeee reviews! **

**JJ: Me too. I think they're cute. I might do a story all about them. Thanks! Foreshadowing is everywhere. :) **

**Tania: thanksss so much for reviewing! :D Hope you review more often**

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"Are you feeling better?" Hazelle asked her eldest son.

"I wasn't feeling sick?" he said looking over at her.

"Please" she said and offered a smile. "You've been on edge since you came back from their camp"

"That doesn't mean I'm sick" he said raising his eyebrows and took off towards the lake again. He was sure it was a test and not a call of help. "I failed the test" he said to Rory and Thom in the water. He shucked off his shirt and threw it onto a branch.

"Knew it" Thom smirked

"Did they tell you it was a test?" Rory asked. Gale pulled down his pants.

"No" he hung them on another branch and made his way to the water, "but it was clear enough"

"See? Nothing to worry about" Thom clapped him on the shoulder. Gale laughed

"No of course not"

"Should we keep going?" Bristel asked her

"Of course" Madge smiled and ran out of the meadow, laughing over her shoulder. They stumbled through the forest again, poking and laughing at each other. Trying to take the edge of being alone.

"I keep thinking we're going to run into someone another group or something"

"Maybe" Madge said brightly, "anything is possible"

"That's true but do you think it's _really _possible?" Bristel said and looked over, her bangs falling over one of her eyes.

Madge took in a shaky breath, "I saw the meadow" her throat constricted

"Right" Bristel whispered and looked straight ahead.

"It was so bad" Madge said her eyes filling with tears, "you could recognize only some of the faces…" she continued, "for the others were blown off or seared off by the climbing flames of ammo" she stopped there.

"Terrifying" Bristel sighed

"Worse. I have horrible nightmares _still_"

"I wouldn't doubt it" they looked around the forest and Bristel tapped her on the shoulder, nodding to the thinning tree line. The river was there peaking through the branches and the late afternoon sky of pinks and purples.

Madge let out a sigh of relief, her feet screaming for a stop. They plopped down at the edge, sinking their legs down into the grass. They pulled off their shoes throwing them behind them and let the blades of green trail through their toes.

Bristel put her feet in the water, letting the current, move her legs and her feet with it. Birds sang and the air was fresh and energizing. Madge tossed her head back, the loose curls falling down her back and soaking up the last of the sun. Her new friend did the same.

"Do you really think he likes me?" Madge asked. It was on her mind. She couldn't stop thinking of his lips on hers.

"Yeah" Bristel sighed.

"Sorry for asking" Madge bit her lip.

"Its fine" the dark haired girl spun in front of Madge, "I liked Gale for years. I followed him around like a lost puppy" she laughed, "I thought he was perfect. He wanted a family- check. He could support me enough so I wouldn't have to work in the mines- check. I loved him- check. He was incredibly good looking without a shirt- check" Madge blushed, "trust me. He has some nice abs"

"I've seen 'em" Madge giggled.

"So you know" Bristel winked. "Then one day, it just didn't click for me anymore" she smiled sadly, "I saw my best friend with another girl. It boiled something when we didn't joke the same way"

"Thom?" Madge whispered, and Bristel nodded.

"It killed me. I stopped sleeping, stopped eating, I lost work ethic"

"Did you say something to him?" Madge asked her eyes wide with panic.

"Do you see us together?" the dark haired girl asked, her eyebrows rising. Madge shook her head slowly. "No I didn't say anything. Just let it play out. Stood in the back, kept my mouth shut and my legs folded"

"What happened to her? Did he break up with her?"

"I'm supposing she blew up" Bristel said with mock interest.

"WHAT?" Madge screamed and shuffled back

"Well… they were still dating when the district rained bombs"

"Thom isn't even upset"

"He has a really good game face. He could live through everything. When that mine exploded and he lost both parents. He still smiled and took the bull by the horns. I couldn't get myself off the ground and _he _picked up the pieces of my shattered soul"

"You have that look on again" Thom said, talking to Gale.

"What look?" Gale said, looking over from his food.

"That 'everything is wrong' look"

"Oh, his constipated look" Rory said with a mouthful of egg. Vick snickered behind his fork.

"_Guys_" Gale grumbled and sneered.

"Just tell us what's wrong"

"Look- its Madge ok?"

"What about her?" Rory asked and dropped his fork onto his plate.

"She's eating away at my brain. I can't _focus _I can't do anything but think about her" Thom smirked.

He got up dancing around the fire, coming back to stand in front of his friend, "someone is i E" he called and held his hand over his heart, swooning. "Gale Hawthorne is in love"

"With someone other than his cousin" Rory added

"Oh, Madge" Thom said holding up his clear plate in front of his face, "I cannot live my life without you" he held his hand on his forehead, leaning backwards with drama, "kiss me" he stood up straight and made out with his plate.

Rory let out a loud belly laugh, and even Gale couldn't hide his smile any longer. Thom looked ridiculous. "He's not denying it yet" Rory pressed.

"I can't get enough of your _long_, _curly_, _irresistible_ hair" Thom sighed and ran his hands through his short black hair.

"This is awful" Prim whispered but she had a huge smile on. Hazelle had her hand over her mouth and Mrs. Everdeen was ignoring the whole ordeal. Vick and Posy were falling off their logs with laughter.

"MMM Madge _your legs_" Thom continued, bringing a hand from his ankle to his thigh, "_drive me up a wall_"

"That's enough" Gale said and stood up

"Your bright _blue _eyes with the _sparkle _and the _charm_" Thom said and moved away from Gale, behind the fire. Gale was cherry red, the back of his ears possibly turning purple.

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**Reviewwww! :) please! **

**Erin**


	15. Chapter 15

**JJ: Yeahhhhh. **

**anonime: Thanks so much! Thank you for reviewing!**

**You guys are going to start hating me... that's all of a aforementioned you will get. **

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Bristel took a bite, chewing slowly, "this isn't bad, Madge"

"Wow thanks Bri" she laughed

"Hey, sorry I was expecting the worst" Bristel admitted and took another bite.

"So was I" the blond moved the liquid and the meat around with her tongue. "It's not bad at all"

"Proud, Undersee?"

"I am, actually" they finished the stew and looked at each other.

"Well we're surviving but we're not having any fun" Bristel sighed and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"That's for sure" Madge laughed and looked around at the area. "Only like one more day though"

"Thank goodness" Bristel sighed, "I feel like tearing my hair out"

"Oh please" Madge said and rolled her eyes

"The _Mayor's Daughter _isn't that much fun"

"We've been ok" Madge glared playfully.

"Yeah we have" Bristel smiled, "I like you- it's all good"

Madge laughed her head bobbing back with happiness, "I like you too, know that you don't want Gale"

It was Bristel's turn to laugh. "Yeah that solved all our problems"

"It pretty much did" they sat in silence again looking around at the darkening forest.

"This sucks" Madge laughed again.

"There is nothing to do except go to bed and wait out tomorrow"

"Is tomorrow here already?" Bristel cheered.

"Not really… we have to sleep through it first"

"Yeah okay" they rolled out their sleeping bags and starred up at the sky. "There's Orion again" she smiled and Madge looked over, smiling as well.

The morning came and they both woke, to the sound of chirping birds. They groaned covering their faces from the sun. Bristel climbed out and made her way to her pack, grabbing out clothes.

"I'm going to change and then get breakfast"

"Sounds good, what are we doing for breakfast?"

"I'm going to go wander around, try to make a snare, look for berries that are not Nightlock and try to shoot something down"

"Good plan, do you want me to come with?" Madge asked getting out of her bag.

"Nah it's okay. I got this" Bristel disappeared behind a tree and took off her shirt, hanging it over a branch. Madge pulled her bag over, taking out a blue shirt and khaki shorts. She called to Bristel over her shoulder,

"I think I'm going to go wash my hair and change by the river"

"Alright! I'm going now" Madge looked back to see Bristel appear out of the forest, her hands dropping the wad of clothing down on her sleeping bag. She tossed her dark bangs out of her face and took up a bow that Gale had given her.

Madge immediately recognized it. It's Katniss' or was… Madge shook her head and smiled, waving slightly and watched the girl going into the denseness. She pushed the blond links out of her face and then pulled it back, smelling it.

"Yurk" she groaned and picked up the clothes, skipping out into the open. She pulled her pink shirt over her head and set it on a branch, followed by her light washed jeans now almost black with dirt. She stretched and felt the muscles in her back ripple.

She sunk into the shallow water and let her knees be enveloped in the cool. She took in the early sun and the breeze and let out a calming breath. She cleared her head of all worry for Katniss, the horrible pain she witnessed in the square, the disfigured faces in the meadow, the absence of her parents, the confusion for Gale. _Gale. _She let out an audible groan.

Madge dipped her hair into the river, gliding it back and forth with her hands. She was tired of feeling the dirt, falling out of her hair. She pulled her fingers through the wet strands and stood up, the water cascading over her shoulders as the hair plastered against her back.

She took a few steps in the shallow water, looking out to the depths. She sat down, letting the gentle waves clash over her feet, and then stood up suddenly at the snapping of wood. "Bri?" she called to the shadows. Madge took a hesitate step towards the forest, trying to look around the cluttered branches.

"Bristel?" her voice cracked. All at once her heart was in her throat and her life flashed across her eyes. She let out a scream as a hand snuck around her back and covered her mouth. She couldn't breathe. Someone lead her back to the water and she tried to turn in the strong arms.

The hand lifted from her mouth, "Gale!" she hollered, and "you scared the life out of me"

"Literally" he smirked, "you're whiter than a sheet"

"Thanks" she glared and stepped away from him. "What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"I got curious" he winked

"Curious?" she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover herself up.

"I wanted to see if you were still alive" Gale shrugged and walked up running a finger over her cheek, she moved away.

"Well here I am, breathing and alive. You can go now" she said pointing in the direction of his camp.

"Where's Bristel?" he asked and shifted closer to her again.

"Hunting" Madge said, as if it were obvious.

"Why didn't you go with her?"

"She told me to stay with the campsite"

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of questions" Madge narrowed her eyes, "why are you _really _here?" she asked. This was beginning to get awkward. The blond hardly had any clothes on and Gale was just standing there.

"I don't know" he shrugged. He bounced around on his feet, shaking out his shoulders. He looked up at the sky.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Look- you need to put something on before I take off in a sprint" Gale said and tapped his foot, biting his lip hard. Madge smirked.

"Why?" she asked in a low whisper and walked up to him.

"What do you mean why?" he went to look down at her but she was close enough to touch. He gulped.

"Why did you come here, Gale?" she whispered again and parted her lips, letting her tongue dart out and run over her lips. "Hmmm?" she pressed.

"Uh…" was his response. She took in his red face and wide grey eyes.

"Gale" she said and set her hand on his chest. He shivered. "Tell me why you're here"

"I was…" he took another swallow.

"Mr. Hawthorne?" she stood on her tip-toes now, leaning against him.

"I love you" her eyes widened and she stumbled back.

"What?" her breathing picked up and she was sure her heart was beating harder than it was supposed to.

**OHHHHHH lol :D Seriously... start hating me. **

**Erin**


	16. Chapter 16

Bristel trudged through the forest alone. She couldn't stop thinking about the tall brown haired boy back at camp. Her relationship with Thom, everything was so confusing. _Why didn't she just tell Madge that they were together? _Thom had been her rock for so long. She let a small smile roll onto her lips. She cocked the arrow and ditched her thoughts at a stump she passed.

A stick crackled and she turned suddenly, releasing the arrow. It fell short two feet in front of her. _This was going to be a long day_. She went in search of the little animal in the bushes, but found no tracks. She wondered how Gale hunted the way he did. She wished she had brought Madge along.

It wouldn't have been so lonely. She couldn't believe that she actually liked the Mayor's Daughter. Bristel had always thought of her as stuck up and too good to talk to anyone. Unfortunately even if she had known Madge wasn't that way, they wouldn't be friends. That thought just made the whole situation more awkward and confusing.

Bristel tromped over the ferns looming close to the tree and halted as she saw a fat squirrel with its back to her. She hardly thought about the shot, it sprang from her bow and traveled up at the tree. Before she could move out of the way, the arrow flew over the branch and hit a live hive of bright colored wasps.

Her eyes weren't wide enough or searching for the attackers. Bristel felt the stings before she saw any insects. They were a cloud of dusty fog, covering her. As she swatted and ran through the brush, further and further from camp, she forced her mouth closed. Hiding her lips from the painful stingers. Her chest was throbbing painfully.

There wasn't enough getting through her lungs. She fell towards the ground, her face turning sideways at the last moment. She writhed around, trying to get air. Her eyes rolled back and she took one last swallowing breath. Collecting whatever was in the air around her and fell limp in the bushes**...**

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It tumbled out before he could help himself. The words were there, laying out in the wind, flying into her face with a force that was indescribable. He almost wished he could take it back and use it later. Her eyes widened and she took a few steps back away from him.

His hands wanted to reach out and take her hips but all that skin was making his brain fuzzy. Why did he have to come out of the woods when she was practically naked? She opened her mouth, and Gale secretly hoped it was her answering it with the same three words.

"What?" well it wasn't the answer he was looking for but it was the answer he expected. His heart shattered in his chest.

"Huh" he rubbed the back of his head, looking away. He hadn't come up with a backup plan for all of this. "I gotta go…" he said and pointed to the woods. His feet pounded into the dirt, leaving heavy footprints. He didn't look back and he guessed she didn't either.

"I gotta go?" Thom laughed falling against a tree, "you said I gotta go?"

"How suave" Rory added smirking.

"I didn't mean to say it. I _panicked. _Did I mention she was naked and just standing there looking innocent and vulnerable and then she was on me like a fungus, eating me up with _sexiness? _Madge Undersee was honestly turning me on. I have never been so embarrassed in my life." He said not stopping for a breath. He looked up from staring at the ground.

"Wow." Rory said, "You fucked up"

"HELL'S TEETH" Gale smacked his forehead. "I'm going to the lake. No one is going to follow me. No one is going to come get me. No one is going to make me move. When the two girls get back tomorrow morning, let them find me themselves"

Rory and Thom didn't argue, just moved out of the way to let Gale through. They looked at each other. "How long do you think this is going to last, Gale's 'lakeside party'?"

"I give it an hour" Thom said.

"I give it two" Rory responded and they shook hands. The two sat around the fire then and looked at each other.

"What should we bet on?" Thom wondered and looked around the camp.

"I say… that if I win… you have to tell Bri that you like her" Rory grinned. Thom glared,

"We can't bet on that"

"Sure we can" Rory shrugged.

"Fine. Then if I win then… you have to tell Prim"

"Damn. I knew you were going to say something like that"

Thom smirked, "Hey, all's fair in love and war"

"Fair enough" Rory grumbled, "I hope you're wrong"

"Why is Gale sitting by himself, creepily grumbling to himself down by the lake?" Hazelle asked coming over to the boys.

"Oh, he'll be back in an hour, Mrs. Hawthorne. He's taking a breather break because he accidently told Madge that he loved her"

"Actually he'll be back in two hours" Rory cut in.

"When did he tell Madge that he loved her?" Hazelle said and was joined by Prim.

"When he went to the girl's camp to check up on them. We didn't get the whole story"

"GALE" they froze, looking at each other. "GALE, HELP" Thom looked towards the lake. "GALE, PLEASE"

"What do we do?" Rory asked looking straight at Thom.

"It's probably nothing. They did this before" the man shrugged.

"What about Gale? Do you think this throws the bet?"

"What bet?" Hazelle and Prim demand, their eyebrows connecting in confusion.

"Oh nothing" Thom snickered, "do you want to check, Ro?" they left the girls and headed down the down well trotted path. Gale had his hands folded on his knees, looking straight out at the lake.

"Do we go talk to him?" Rory whispered, looking at his older brother.

"No- he's thinking the same thing we are"

"Should we go talk to Madge?"

"If you think we should" Thom said looking over.

"Let's just go check on them"

Madge couldn't scream anymore. She couldn't do _anything_. Her feet took her behind a bush, her hands connecting with the ground. She leaned forward her mouth tingling as she threw up her empty stomach, into the weed and muddy grass. She couldn't look at the girl in the grass. Disfigured and puffy, turning blue and lifeless.

It was all her fault. She should have gone with. She could have given her pointers been her look-out. It was all Madge's fault. Her mouth twisted again and she gagged, her stomach churning. He should be here soon. Here to see what she's done. Her mind was racing.

The words pounded into her head. I love you. He said I love you. She gagged again, wishing something anything would come out. Her hopes, her dreams, her parents, her bravery. She had witnessed so much death. Why did this happen again.

She sat back and stood up, not bothering to glance at the cold body of her friend. She sat down in the middle of camp. Looking straight forward. Gale would find her and know what to do. He always did. She started rocking after thirty minutes.

Watching the tree line for the dark figure. She had to get back to the camp. Her legs tingled as she stood and her stomach was threatening her with heaving breaths. Instead cried. Large bulging tears. She hadn't cried at all.

She hadn't cried for her parents. For the faceless blood in the streets, for the deteriorated houses. She hadn't cried for Bristel, for the children hunched over with bullet holes forced into them. She hadn't cried for her best friends. She hadn't cried over anything. She was broken.

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**DOUBLE POSTING... I doubt this chapter is any good. It was so hard to write hahaha **

**I know. You don't have to say it. I know but it says right here in her bio that she never makes it to D13... and stuff wasn't happening. **

**I never said it was going to be a _happy _story. Feel free to leave if you don't agree.**

**anonime: right? :D**

**abc: I'm so happy to update as much as I do! I try to write like four chapters in advance so I can post when I have time. **

**JJ: It's totally rushed! I meant it to be ****irritating because I needed readers to be off their guard. I deleted a lot of stuff off these two chapters. **

**mellarklover11: Dooo you hate me now? lol Thanks for reviewing. **

**If you want a happier story read my other ones... I actually cried writing this chapter and upcoming chapters. Like. Omg. **

**Stayin' Erin **


	17. Chapter 17

**wow. No one really reviewed that last chapter. Yikes. Sorry if that came as a shock but I do have evidence that says she never made it and since I'm bringing Madge back I kinda wanted to stick to the story line everywhere else. Soooo yeah. It gets better. **

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"What is she doing?" Rory said looking out at the girl through the branches.

"Nothing" Thom said staring down the girl.

"Literally" Rory whispered. Madge had her knees pressed into her chest. Her eyes were wide and puffy, staring straight ahead at the river. Her hair was a mess and the bandage on her cheek was pulled off and lying on the ground besides her. She didn't even look like she was breathing.

"What's wrong with her?" Thom wondered out loud.

"Where's Bri?" Rory said looking around at the tree line. Thomas couldn't help it anymore; he pushed through the branches and out into the open. Madge hardly glanced up or even blinked.

"Madge" Thom said carefully, walking slowly towards her. She didn't even acknowledge he was there. Rory came out of the woods next, keeping his distance.

"Madge" he called from his spot by the trees. She didn't look over at him either.

"What's wrong?" Thom asked, crouching a few steps away from the blonde. "Did something happen?" he felt as if he were talking to a crying child. She only blinked and kept her head straight.

"Where's Bri?" Rory asked and Thom nodded. His heart was beginning to pound with horror.

"The woods" she said monotone, still not making eye contact.

"Where in the woods?" Thom whispered and nodded back to Rory to start calling her name out.

"BRISTEL?" he called

"She won't hear you" Madge said her eyes narrowing and her lip turning up in a snarl.

"Where. Is. Bristel?" Thom yelled in her face, she didn't move away.

"I killed her"

"That's impossible" Rory spat.

"What?" Thom asked, sitting back. A rock felt like it was crushing his lungs.

"_She's dead_" they left her there and began picking apart the forest.

"Bristel" Thom said over and over to the forest, picking through the ferns and the shrubs.

"Oh God" Rory's voice drifted over like mustard gas on fields. Thom's hair stood up on the back of his neck. He stood up straight and looked over at his best friend's younger brother. "No stay there." Thom wished he had listened.

Madge stood up and took her pack. Leaving the camp behind. She tucked her sleeping bag under her arm and walked in the opposite direction of Gale. She didn't look back, she didn't look back once. Thom cried out from a far as she walked along the river.

His fingers closed her eyes, the smooth flesh under his fingertips stinging with guilt. Gale draped the rain tarp over his friend and picked up the abandoned bow. Thom was covering his eyes and tuning out the world. "Where is Madge?" Gale asked in a hollow voice.

"Back at the camp" Rory answered and continued to stare at the blue covering over the girl.

"Our camp?"

"Their camp…" Rory whispered

"She's not back there" Gale said and looked back at his brother

"Then she's back at are camp"

"She doesn't deserve to be there" Thom's strangled voice said

"What?" Gale asked too tired to yell.

"It was her fault" Thom said his eyes dark and empty, "it's her fault that"

"It's no one's fault" Rory murmured, not wanting his older brother to get angry.

Gale shook his head, "I shouldn't have let them do this in the first place"

"We didn't think _this_ would happen" Rory hissed. "Maybe a paper cut"

"The woods are dangerous" Gale snapped. "This proves it"

"I was thinking wolves, dogs, snakes, poisonous plants" Rory said throwing his arm out, "not _bees_"

"These are wasps" Gale said, "in my opinion worse than bees"

"Whatever" Rory said and looked over at Thom.

"I think I'm going to throw up" he said sensing their eyes and left.

"Should we-" Rory started and hiccupped, letting the tears pour out of his eyes. Gale engulfed his younger brother with a tight hug, and the boy hid his face in his older brother's shoulder.

"Will you help me?" Gale asked and Rory dully nodded, keeping his face out of sight. It was night when they finished the grave in the center of the girl's camp. They set her body in and covered her with loose dirt and packed it together.

Thom appeared out of the tree line and dropped wildflowers down on top. He didn't look at the brothers. "I love you" he whispered. He closed his eyes, letting the thick tears roll down his cheeks. "I love you so much" he sank down on his knees.

Rory pointed back to the forest, Gale turned with him and left their friend to his grieving. They stomped down on the plants like they were nothing, cutting the stalks and the water supply. The plants would wither in a few days, sinking into the ground, turning into minerals.

Rory stopped his brother, and tossed a hand over his shoulder, turning right. Gale didn't ask questions, just followed Rory with void thoughts and feelings. Gale stopped long before they got to the fence. "Are you trying to kill my mental state?" he narrowed his eyes.

"I want to see it when I'm sad"

"Why?" Gale demanded

"We'll have to see it sometime" Rory left his brother behind, walking out of the forest line and up to the fence. His hands wrapped around the barbwire, forcing him to feel something other than nothing. He dove between the wires and out into the desolate district.

Gale was hesitant. He wanted to get back to Madge. She was probably being wrapped up with his mother and being treated for shock with Mrs. Everdeen and Prim. He turned back to camp. His feet didn't comply; they headed in the direction of the district.

He stood in front of the fence, looking straight out at the destruction and chaos. Gale watched his brother kick around the rubble. What was there to see? "Rory" his voice was beginning to fade. Rory looked up, his hair flopping over one eye.

They walked back into camp. Their eyes one-dimensional as they took in the people. They were bustling around the campfire. "Where's Madge?" Gale asked, looking for her golden hair and sweet innocent face.

"What do you mean?" Hazelle asked.

"She came back to tell everyone" Rory said and wiped the tears from under his eyes.

"Tell everyone?" Hazelle set down the clean tins and walked up to her boys.

"Ma, Bristel's dead" Gale whispered. Prim came and took Mrs. Hawthorne's hand as she stumbled away from the group.

"And Thom?" she asked

"No- he's with… her" Rory said looking out towards the forest. Prim folded herself against him, and Rory's arms wrapped around her waist.

"Madge came back hours ago" Gale murmured, "right?" he got the feeling of vomit again.

"Madge never came back" Prim said, her eyebrows rising.

"She never came back?" Gale asked again. "Are you sure?"

"We've been everywhere around camp- I'm sure we would have seen her around" Prim assured him.

"Where is she then?" Rory asked. Gale held his head, rubbing his temple.

"We have to find her" his voice cracked. "We have to" he left the group running through the forest. "MADGE" her name dripped off his chapped lips into the moist night air.

**REVIEW. PLEASE**

**Erin**


	18. Chapter 18

**Mellarklover11: Thanks sooo much for your reviews! :D **

**Nurse Kelly: Yep. Seriously killed her. You should have been there when I made the decision with my friends. So flippin' sad. I cried when I wrote those chapters. Thom killed me too. **

**JJ: I know :(( feels. **

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Madge sat against a tree looking up at the stars. She let the tears tear down her face and over her bandage. She couldn't look any of them in the eye. She wouldn't be able to get a word out without crying or throwing up her empty stomach.

She shivered and curled into herself, burrowing her face in her knees. The blonde pulled her hair over her face and closed her eyes. Letting her even breaths sooth her. Madge calmed herself enough to sleep through morning. She looked around at her surroundings, wiping under her noise.

That's when she realized she wasn't sure where she was. She knew that she was west of the camp but now as she sat there thinking about it, she wasn't sure that was true either. Madge pushed off her knees and staggered straight; through the twisted branches of the forest.

She pushed out of the forest into a clearing and froze looking at the fence line. Her hand reached out and pulled on the wire. It vibrated as she sent it back. She pulled her hair back and ducked through the cable and into the decimated district.

Madge knew the way, even if every landmark around her was gone. She kicked bricks and wood around the square and picked up glass and bullet cases. She pretended to swing open the bakery door and smile charmingly at Peeta at the counter.

She looked through the rubble and gave up. Her back was still back to her destination and she turned to finally look at the pieces, her whole life gone in a moment, torn apart by mechanics and fire. She walked to it slowly, closing her eyes to imagine the house and the people who greeted her there.

Yet her mind couldn't get passed the crushing of glass under her feet and the lingering smoke entering her system. Everything about the district felt wrong. She wished someone was with her so she could talk about how she was feeling, what she was thinking.

Her eyes opened and she entered through the front door of the house and kicked around the debris and ash. Her mind was spinning. She sat down on the ground, taking in the crusty smells of the district and the remains of her house. As she sat there looking at the leftovers in front of her the wind picked up.

She ignored it. It didn't bother her that her hair was in her face and getting in her eyes. She didn't care. Madge couldn't figure out if she would care about anything. So when the glass crackled around her to the sound of approaching footsteps, she didn't move. Madge didn't look over.

Gale wandered back into the camp, not meeting anyone's surprised faces. He couldn't take the sinking feeling in his stomach. He couldn't think about her. Someone grabbed his shoulder. "I'll help you find her" it was Rory.

"I don't think she wants to be found"

"Oh, don't be ridiculous, Gale" his mother sighed from the fire pit.

"I searched all night" he said finally meeting the eyes. They were tried, confused, shaken, and disappointed. "I searched all night" he repeated and started wringing his hands slowly.

"Calm down" Rory said reaching out to steady his brother; "get something to eat" he said looking Gale in the eye, "sit down" he led him to a log and sat him down. Thomas was leaning against Bristel's pack across from him.

"How did this happen?" Gale asked no one in particular

"I don't know" his voice was scratchy and shattered and the group looked over at Thom. "We'll get through it though. That's what she would want us to do- and it's what we have to do… so we can stay alive"

"Where do you think Madge is?" Gale asked before he could help himself

"I think she went home…"

"What?" Gale whispered

"She went into the district"

"Oh yeah- like we almost did Gale" Rory perked up.

"Let's go!" Sooner than anyone could stop him, Gale was on his feet and running through the trees. He jumped a boulder and slid down the smooth side down towards the district. He could see it looming in the distance.

Before Gale could get there, the trees shifted with the sound of fans. The young man looked up watching the hovercraft cast a shadow over the forest. It was slowing down over the district, circling. He crashed out in the open dodging the wire fence.

She was there. Her blond hair flying around in the fans of the dangerous ship was setting his nerves off. He couldn't breathe. All he could do was pray that he would get to her first. His prayers weren't answered as a ladder came down from the craft.

His feet pounded against glass and he ran in front of Madge, his chest heaving with adrenaline. His fist connected with flesh before he could think about anything else. The man grunted but didn't stagger back like Gale had hoped. He waited for the return punch.

Madge didn't know what to think when Gale connected with Haymitch's jaw. She just stared and pulled on Gale's arm, standing up. She sunk into his side, smelling the pine in his shirt. The blonde felt his arm timidly wrap around her waist.

"Hawthorne" Haymitch growled, rubbing his chin.

"Haymitch"

"Look don't look so surprised" the mentor grumbled and pointed to the both of them, "get in the craft"

"My family is in the woods" Gale told him and pointed in the direction of the camp.

"Okay- we'll get them. Get on the ship" Gale wavered in front of the ladder, gripping tighter to Madge.

"Where are we going?" he asked looking over at the man.

"District 13… look kid I'll answer all of your questions on the ship, will you just get in?" The ladder was cold to the touch. Gale pushed Madge to the ladder, keeping his eyes on the small of her back as she climbed.

As soon as they were in the shadows of the craft he pressed her against a wall, trapping her between his arms. "Don't do that to me" he murmured against her ear

"Do what?" she whispered, brushing her cheek against the stubble on his jaw.

"Run away…" he said, and ran a hand over the tension in her neck.

"I promise" she leaned forward and closed the gap between their lips. Someone cleared their throat.

"So _that's_ how it is" the two ignored Haymitch's remark.

**REVIEWWWW :D**

**Erin**


	19. Chapter 19

**mellarklover11: THANKS. **

**JJ: He does! I'm thinking he'll take Madge under his wing... what do you think about that? **

**anonime: It was so heartbreaking to write these chapters. Mostly because I full on ship them in my mind.**

**THANKS FOR READING, FOLLOWERS. I love you all. **

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The gentle hum of the aircraft loomed in their ears as the couple looked over at Haymitch. Gale's arms were squishing Madge against him, moving her away from the mentor towards the shadows. "You" he bit out, and sent a bone-chilling glare towards the man in front of him.

"What about me?" he grumbled, but he was only looking at Madge.

"What are you doing alive?" the hovering stopped and they could feel the shift of the engine.

"We can talk about this later" Haymitch sighed and nodded towards the skinny hallway next to them.

"_We're talking about this now_" Gale closed the distance between them, pulling on the man's shirt until they were nose-to-nose. Madge sputtered from the loss of contact and got in between them.

"Gale" she whispered and pressed on his chest. Her face was unusually pale in the dim artificial light, her bandage starting to pull off and expose the torn skin and loose stitches. She looked sick and skinny.

"What happened to your face, sweetheart?" Haymitch wondered from behind her and reached out, taking the bandage all the way off. She just stared at him, her eyes wide in horror and confusion. He pulled her out of Gale's grasp and pushed her slightly towards the hall.

Gale reached out to take her back, "Now wait just a moment Hawthorne" Haymitch growled but his face was connected with Gale's fist again. Haymitch took his fists in his hand, pulling them down to the young man's side. "If you want your family- you best be getting into that pilot's wing and showing them directions."

"Haymitch…" they both stopped to look at the blonde, cowering into herself. "Is it really there?" she wondered. The older man's face softened for a second.

"Yes" he nodded and pushed them both out into the metal encased hallway, having them stumble over their feet through the hangers. Gale rushed through the double doors and started pointing out places on the map. He looked over at Madge but she wasn't where he left her.

"Madge?" he called and ducked back into the lounge where she had been seated. Both her and the drunk were nowhere to be seen. "Madge" he called again and started searching the aircraft. His palms started to sweat. "Madge" his voice was frantic.

"Calm down" Haymitch grumbled and rolled his eyes. He appeared from an automatic sliding doorway that was hidden in the metallic paneling.

"Where is she?" he demanded

"_Your girlfriend _is fine. Or she will be"

"What does that mean?" his eyes were wild, as they looked back as the door closed behind the mentor.

"She has an infection in that _scratch _denting her face"

"She does?" Gale whispered and tried to move around the man again.

"Yeah, and you aren't allowed to get into the medical wing right now" the man pressed a hand to Gale's chest pushing him back to a plush candy apple seat but he stood right up and marched around the man. He pressed on the panel but it hardly budged.

Gale turned back, defeated and tired. He sunk back down in the seat and looked out the window at the woods below him. They slowed and Gale felt the weightless hovering occur again, Haymitch drew up his arm, hurling him back down the corridor.

Mrs. Everdeen was the first to notice Gale, coming out of the hovercraft. She stopped everyone from being frantic. Thom headed towards the ladder, meeting Gale with a lot of questions. Instead Gale grabbed his arm, muttered safe, and forced him onto the ladder.

The family looked out of place, with their dirty packs and worn out clothes, on the technology based high class hovercraft. Haymitch cross his leg over his knee and rested his hands on his foot. Hazelle leaned over to her oldest son.

"What about Madge?" she whispered, her eyes filling with confused tears.

"She's here" he whispered back and took her hand, kissing the knuckles.

"Why aren't you with her? Where is she?" Gale looked over at Haymitch in front of him, and shook his head in distress.

"Medical wing, I'm not allowed in there" Hazelle gasped.

"Why is she in the medical wing?"

"The trench in her face is infected"

"That's a nice description, Gale" Thom hissed from behind him. He shrugged. Posy came up to him. Her nose was scrunched up, practically to her forehead; she leaned against her brother, until he lifted her onto his lap.

"What's up, Kiddo?" he smiled and pulled her hair away from her eyes.

"Are you and Madge going to get married?" Gale sputtered, laughing, and blushing profusely as his mother added,

"Yeah Gale" in the same tone his little sister used,

"I don't know Pos" he grinned and poked her nose. Haymitch turned to raise his eyebrows.

"How long has this thing been going on?"

"Not long" Rory replied as he took Prim's hand in his. "Gale actually _hated_ Madge three weeks or so ago"

"A lot has happened" Gale said to no one in particular.

"Too much" Thom whispered and covered his face with his hands again, going back to mute solitude.

"Too much" Gale agreed and stared at Prim and Rory. _When did that happen? _He looked over at his mother with question but she only shrugged and smiled slightly, taking Posy back so she could curl against her mother's shoulder.

"How'd you escape?" Haymitch asked shaking his head.

"How'd you know we escaped?" Gale countered

"We _didn't_" Haymitch replied, "We saw your stupid girlfriend, sitting in the rubble of her house when we were scouting the area for leftover peacekeepers"

"Leftover peacekeepers?" Gale asked his eyes crinkling up with disgust, "doing what?"

"Filming" Haymitch said gruffly, rubbing is chin, "like they did for District 13"

"What about Katniss?" The question had to be asked at some point, it was Ms. Everdeen.

"Very much alive" he sneered and looked at his watch. "We'll be leaving soon, better call base and tell them we picked you up"

"What do you mean she's alive?" Prim pressed, reaching out to him.

"She's at District 13, running the place like she owns it. Calling the shots, keeping people on their toes"

"That doesn't sound like Katniss…" Prim said slowly, "she usually hangs back"

"Right but she's missing her prince" Haymitch said rolling his eyes, "so they locked her up in the hospital to keep her quiet. It was the best for all of our sanity"

"Peeta's gone?" Gale murmured looking up at the man trying to leave.

"Yeah taken by the Cap we think"

"_You think_?" Gale pressed

"Okay, we know… they didn't exactly hide it from us"

"So what's being done about that?" Rory wondered, "Have you formed some kind of rescue plan?"

"We're sending in suicidal people" Haymitch badly joked, "no kid we haven't"

"I'll jump start it" Gale said standing up from his seat, "If you'll let me see Madge. I'll go"

"What are you talking about?" Haymitch said, rolling his eyes.

"I'll lead the mission if you give me a few other willing guys but only if you'll let me see Madge and hold her hand" Gale said pointing a finger at the man's nose in front of him.

"Is it worth it?" Haymitch asked putting his fingers up like a gun next to his head, "to have that chance of being killed?" Gale didn't know, he looked around at his family.

"I won't be killed" he promised to the air, letting it divert in the fans around them.

**Review please! :D Tell me what you'd like to see (or not see) in upcoming chapters that way I can work on an outline based on what the readers want. I WANT MORE REVIEWERS. So... I should get like 10 reviews on this chapter or previous chapters before I post another. MWAHAHAHA. I wouldn't do that... lol I'm on spring vaca so it might take a while to find time to write and post. Even though I wrote this chapter in like... six minutes. lol **

**Erin**


	20. Chapter 20

**This is a seriously confusing chapter... I swear it's only going to make sense to me. SO SORRY. I'm on vacation my mind is fuzzy. **

**anonime: Thanks!**

**JJ: Thanks! Mmmm I think so! :D **

**mellarklover11: It was wasn't it... thanks!**

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Haymitch rolled his eyes, huffing. He placed a hand on Gale's shoulder, pushing him back into his seat. "Even if I had said yes, Madge is no longer on this flight"

"What?" answered the family sitting around the two.

"I put her on another ship to be taken to the urgent care back at District 13, it'll be faster" he said gruffly.

"Why wouldn't someone go with her?" Gale demanded, standing back up, his face turning red with anger.

"She's not a baby" Haymitch snapped, "She doesn't need someone there holding her hand"

"How do you know what she needs?" Gale spit into Haymitch's face, pressing his hands into the strong chest.

"I know what she can handle"

"Explain" Gale didn't back down.

"She's worked with me and her father on covert operations against the Capitol. We collected data and messages from District 13, and the rest of the rebellion through misspellings in Capitol magazines and newspapers from our inside men and women."

"You're lying" Gale said but it hardly held any venom.

"I'm not." Haymitch said, "We hardly told her if her work was doing anything or getting us anywhere near the rebel force, didn't want her to get hurt. She didn't know that there was a district or not"

"But you thought it was okay to send her alone on a plane to a new unknown district?" Gale rubbed his forehead.

"Well yeah" Haymitch shrugged and picked at the walkie-talkie at his side. It was beeping. "What?" he muttered into the receiver and turned from the group.

"Your plane's here, Mr. Abernathy" the young voice said

"What plane?" he grumbled and looked over at Gale.

"The plane for Ms. Undersee"

"I already sent that plane off with the girl in it" Haymitch sighed and rolled his eyes, mouthing newbie at the man in front of him. Gale didn't laugh, his palms sweated instead.

"They don't have Ms. Undersee"

"Look I put her on the plane and they left already"

"Well- there is a new plane here and they have your signature for Ms. Undersee" Haymitch froze and stared at the black device in his hand. "Sir?" Gale had Haymitch on the ground, pounding over him and ran through the hanger, looking through the windows on the doors.

Haymitch pushed himself off the ground and ran after the dark-haired man, his talkie reared to life again, "Sir… there are two planes here… I just looked"

"What are you talking about?" Haymitch panted to the control room man on the other side.

"Sir, I think we're under attack" the talkie buzzed and Haymitch strapped it back to his side, swearing like a sailor.

"Hawthorne- it's no use" Haymitch called out to him, just as Gale was pushed against a wall by a blur. Gale hardly struggled though. Madge was there burrowed into Gale's jacket, with wide searching eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered and pushed her hair away from her face, bending towards her.

"Yeah, you're supposed to be kidnapped" Haymitch sneered to the little blonde.

"No thanks to you" she squealed and pelted him once with a fist.

"Are they on the ship?" Gale asked Madge who was teetering on her feet.

"How do I know?" she snapped, still looking at Haymitch, "don't you have some kind of high-tech security on this thing?"

"This is one of our out-of-date models" he growled. Just then the sirens went off, the hallway filling with piercing red light. Madge's off-white face was enlightened pink and grey as the red shadows played off her face in front of the men.

Gale pulled her along the wall, back to the doors separating them and his family. They were closed shut, and he dropped his arm from around her to stuff his fingers in the crack of the door. He pulled it open enough to stuff his foot in.

Haymitch helped him hold open the doors as they pressed themselves through the doors at the same time, the weight slamming them together behind them. They family looked up with confused looks and questionable relieved smiles.

"Don't ask" Haymitch said holding up a hand and tugged Madge into an empty seat. "Here, I don't want you dying on me" he muttered to her and rushed towards the cockpit.

"Gale, what happened?" his mother wondered, looking up at him.

"I don't even know" he laughed slightly and fell into the seat next to Madge. Taking her shaking hand into his lap. They sat there looking up at the light flashing in the corner, not talking.

Thom finally cleared his throat, "Is this some kind of a drill… or are we plummeting to the ground?" He asked looking at the light.

"Like I said- I have no idea. I think we're being taken over by an enemy or something" Gale muttered looking over at his friend. Haymitch reappeared at the front of the hanger, chewing on a biscuit.

"Yeah the Capitol sent some people to pick up Princess here. They're dead and were dropped off the hanger into water. This light will go off in less than a second" he looked up at the light as it flickered off, "and we're going to land in ten minutes"

He moved through the aisle and through the sliding doors, ignoring any lingering questions. Madge leaned against Gale, her head spinning. "You okay?" he whispered against her temple.

"I could have been taken" she whispered and looked up at him, her blue eyes sparkling in whatever light they had.

"Yeah… how did you get out of that?" he asked turning his head to the side, with a smirk.

"I just turned around and followed Haymitch out…" she grinned "then steered off into a hallway and got lost. Next thing I know I see you through a window and…"

He cut her off with a loud laugh, throwing his head back against the plush chair. "You're surprising me" he said and reached out, poking her noise, "little spy"

She wrinkled her nose, "you know about that?"

"Haymitch told us" he shrugged. Madge nodded slowly as the plane leached and dropped slightly in the air.

"There goes my stomach" Thom whispered. The speakers crackled,

"Beginning our descent on District 13" the pilot's voice boomed and the speakers crackled off. The plane dropped again and shifted down.

"I can tell you now, I hate flying" Thom said, squeezing his eyes closed. Madge dozed off her head falling down onto Gale's warm chest. By the time they were on the ground, Gale had her shifted into his arms. The family stumbled out onto the tarmac.

The nurses of District 13 tore Madge from his arms before he could protest, bringing her into the bunker and out of his sight. He went to run after them but was guided towards another entrance in the opposite direction.

Her name died on his lips as the doors of District 13, slammed behind him. He already hated this district.

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**Sorry again for my confusing mind. Review. Give some ideas.! :D **

**Erin**


	21. Chapter 21

**Mellarklover11: THANKS!**

**JJ: Oh good! :D **

**Someone said: "no offense, but they would never actually get together, get a life." on my first chapter. Interesting response on a Gadge story that _you _clicked on. :D thanks for your input though... I guess. **

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Madge was set in a blank white room and was told that someone would be with her shortly. She couldn't look at much. There wasn't much around her, just four walls, a hospital bed, a bathroom, and a few machines. She was cold.

The heavy gray door slammed and she jumped her blonde hair flying over her shoulder as she looked over. A smiling dark haired woman was gripping a clipboard against her right arm. Her gray coat blended in with the door. Madge tried to offer a smile back, it never came.

The doctor cleared her throat and walked up to her, dropping the clipboard onto the bed. She turned to look at Madge who was slightly shorter than her. "My name is Dr. Marshall" the woman's high soothing voice said.

Madge nodded. The woman's hands came at her and gripped her cheeks, turning her head back and forth, studying her face. She paused at the ridged stitches and clicked her tongue. "That's going to be a nasty scar" Madge resisted the bubbling laughter in her throat.

"You think I don't know that?" she whispered and narrowed her sparkling blue eyes. "All I want is a hot shower, a sandwich, to talk privately with Haymitch, and find…" She wasn't sure what to call Gale. It was okay because Dr. Marshall cut her off.

"You will soon, maybe three days or so. We're going to give the green light on the stitches coming out and give you an I.V"

"An I.V?" Madge exclaimed, "I don't need that. I told you all I need is a shower…"

"You need sleep, now come over here" The woman grabbed her arm, tugging her towards the bed. Madge pulled away dropping her arm to the side.

"_I'm fine_" She exaggerated and rolled her eyes. "Really, I would like to get back to my family now" Dr. Marshall moved towards the wall and pressed in a red button. A few men in gray scrubs walked in and administered a vaccine into Madge's arm.

Gale was isolated from his family by Haymitch. After having demanded several questions the man was quiet as they walked along a cold hallway. They hardly passed anyone.

"They're having trouble with your girlfriend" Haymitch told him and looked over his shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Gale asked tiredly, looking at the numbered doors they were passing.

"I didn't ask"

"Thanks for that helpful information" the young man grumbled. They turned into a darkened room. At the head of the table was someone with their head down. A dark braid snaking onto the surface off the back of the head.

Haymitch cleared his throat but Gale already knew who it was. "Catnip?"

Madge's head was fuzzy. She blinked a few times and squinted at the artificial light above her. Her face felt like rubber as she reached up to rub her forehead. She looked over at the side table and blanched.

"Hey there sleepy head" Dr. Marshall's voice wandered over from behind her. Madge grimaced and reluctantly turned to look at her. The woman's hair was down now and came just to her shoulders.

"It's been a couple hours" Madge said slowly.

"You didn't have a good reaction to the medicine, I believe" She answered looking down at her clipboard. Madge imagined throwing it against a wall. Madge shrugged. "The stitches are out" Dr. Marshall perked up, her lips turning back to show her large like horse-teeth.

"Yippee" Madge said and rolled her eyes, pulling on a stray curl behind her ear.

"Would you like to see?" Dr. Marshall grabbed a hand mirror and shoved it into Madge's hands. An uneven line traveled from the corner under her left eye, parallel to her nose, and stopped at her turned down lips.

It was paler and pinker than the skin around it, having it stick out. "Looks great" she smiled and threw the mirror into her lap.

Katniss looked up from the table, her eyes were bloodshot and sunken from lack of sleep and her clothes were wrinkled and dirty around the edges. "Don't you look fantastic" Gale grumbled

She snarled and set her head back down on the table. Someone appeared from the shadows and pulled out a chair next to Katniss. "Finnick this is Gale Hawthorne. Hawthorne this is Odair" The two acknowledged each other with a nod.

"She had her stitches out a while ago. The skin looks good apparently" Haymitch said as the silence snuck back into the room, Gale turned to him raising an eyebrow. He couldn't imagine Madge alone in a room with someone coming at her face with scissors, it made him cringe.

"How do you know all of this?" The mentor held up a beeper, waving it around between two fingers.

"It vibrates when there's stuff" Gale huffed.

"What am I doing here?" he asked the room and crossed his arms across his chest, itching to find Madge.

"You said you would look for the boy" Haymitch said, "or did I hear wrong"

"Look, I was only looking for a way to get to…"

"_I know_" Haymitch sneered, "but I need you to go. Since _she _is in no shape to go" Gale's stomach twisted and he forced himself to nod.

"Fine" he said, "are we going right now?" he grumbled and shifted his feet.

"No" Finnick said looking up and over at them, "we need to make a few more suicide hotline calls"

"Don't joke, Pretty Boy" Haymitch growled.

"Well if we're not going to do anything now. I'm going to find my family." He left before anyone could say anything more. The door shut behind him and looked around the empty hallway, confused about which way he was supposed to go.

"Lost?" he looked back at her leaning against the wall. He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair.

"Where is the hospital wing?" he asked her like it was no big deal.

"Feeling faint, Gale?" he made eye contact with her, taking in the familiar braid and face.

"No" he smirked. "I think I've seen a ghost maybe they can take my temperature."

"I should be a ghost" she whispered, "I feel like one" she pulled on the end of her braid.

"Hey well don't say that" he clip her chin with a finger, turning her head with the touch. She rolled her eyes.

"No really, where's the wing?"

"Is Posy the one getting stitches?" Kantiss asked looking up, "sorry I only got a few things from you and Haymitch's exchanges"

"No not Posy" he murmured and pointed to either way. She pointed to the left. They walked down the hall silently, looking straight ahead. "How are you holding up?"

"I don't sleep" she whispered and crossed her arms, hunching her shoulders.

"I can tell that much" Katniss glared.

"Finnick's worse. I at least get into bed. He just leans against a wall, knotting rope"

"Who is he missing?" Gale asked thinking about Madge again. He sped up a little.

"Annie Cresta"

"Oh the crazy girl…" Gale nodded.

"She's not crazy. She's broken"

"Who isn't these days" Gale said, thinking sadly about Thom and Bristel. They came upon a fork in the hallway, a large elevator between the two shoot offs. Kantiss walked up to it, clicking the down button.

"So who are we seeing?" Kantiss asked, looking at Gale from the corner of her eye.

"She didn't get stitches. She was getting stitches out"

"What?" Kantiss laughed, heading onto the elevator with Gale in tow.

"You asked earlier about Posy getting stitches"

"_You _said it wasn't Posy" They turned around looking at the numbers on the side of the door. Katniss pressed in 3.

"Madge" he whispered, closing his eyes. The doors slid closed and he could almost hear Katniss' braid fly over her shoulder as she looked at him.

**Review! :) If you don't want to review- PM me! I have my phone on me all the time. Any ideas about the future? What do you think is gonna happen? :D **

**Erin**


	22. Chapter 22

**Even _I _get excited when I write this story hehehe I love it! I'm fangirling out on my own story- is that a bad thing?**

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The doctor dropped two pills into Madge's hand and nodded towards them. "For whatever pain you have" Madge looked down at the pills and questioned them. She threw them back.

Madge looked up at Dr. Marshall just as the woman was preparing to leave. She looked back at Madge with a smile, "just rest for right now. I'll send in a nurse later to help you into the shower"

The blonde nodded, offering her a fake smile, "Thank you so much Dr. Marshall" the woman raised an eyebrow at her antics and left, the door snapping behind her. Madge glared down at the I.V in her arm. It was covered by a bandage and a bit of gauze. She opened her mouth and took out the pills, dropping them behind the bed.

All at once the bandage was off and lying on the side table, Madge studied the needle sunk into her arm with a narrowed gaze. She bit her lip and chose the angle as it was installed to pull it out. It dropped down to swing aimlessly around the I.V pole.

Madge pressed the gauze against the bloody spot with pressure to her wrist as she looked around her new room. It was larger than the other with a long table pressed against the wall across from her. The bed in this room was more of a brick than a bed and the sheets she was inserted into were scratchy.

The bathroom was open to the room with the sink and mirror against the far wall to her right. The shower was tucked back behind the wall, she guessed. Madge threw her legs over the side of the bed and discovered her tattered clothes from the woods in a pile by the side of her bed.

She looked down at the little nightgown they put her in. It was gray, "big surprise there" she murmured. Her eyes looked up at the ceiling in the right hand corner; left of the bathroom, there was a shiny black dome. Madge jumped out of bed and ditched the used gauze on the side table.

She looked up at the dome, a little red spot lighting up every second. The circle she could see inside of it, moved in and out, focusing. Madge gasped and moved back towards the bathroom, not taking her eyes off the thing. It was a camera, and it was recording.

Madge wasn't sure why she did it, but her middle finger came up and stayed there in the cool air for a few moments before turning back towards the shower. She looked up at the rusting shower head and looked down at the faucet.

It seemed simple enough, the right side was red and the left side was blue. Hot or cold. She reached out and turned the handle to the right and looked up at the head. It made a loud bubbling noise and then water sprouted out and pounded the shower floor.

Madge drew the curtain across so that the water wouldn't leak and untied the nightgown under her chin. She pulled it up and over her face, looking at her crazy hair in the mirror as she let the piece of fabric fall to a heap on the ground.

It didn't look like there was any soap out in the open so she checked in the brown wicker basket beneath the sink. In a white package was the soap, she had never been so happy in her life, Madge decided. Unwrapping it quickly she gripped it and bounced into the shower.

The steam around her, circled her like a lion would its prey. It rose and left the top of the curtain out into the plain room. She set her head back in the water, letting it pour over her closed eyes and shoulders. Down the swell of her breasts, and drip off her toned stomach.

She just wanted to groan. She lathered up and cracked her sore muscles, by lifting her arms and extending her legs towards the wall in front of her. The water was faltering to cold though and she was forced to turn the nozzle to off.

Madge pushed the wet hair off her face and threw it behind her shoulders, having it come back and plaster onto her shoulders. She pulled the curtain away and jumped out of the shower, her feet coming in contact with the cool surface.

She was just about to pull her arms around her shaking body and find a towel when she heard voices in her room. Madge peered around the wall separating the two spaces. She blinked looking at the two people sitting on her bed.

"How long do you think we have until security finds us?" Gale asked leaning back on the arm behind his head into the imprint of her head on the pillow.

"Not even thirty minutes" Katniss said looking through a clipboard at the end of her bed. Madge cleared her throat, making sure her top half was covered by her arms. They looked over, clearly surprised by the nose she had made in the back of her throat.

"Sorry to interrupt your party" she smiled, "but do you think you could bring me those clothes" she was pointing to the dirty clothes next to Gale on the ground.

"Didn't you just take a shower?" Gale laughed and looked down at the clothes.

"Yeah?" Madge squeaked

"And you want to put _those _on?"

"It's better than this" Madge extended a leg out from behind the wall and kicked the hospital gown towards them. Katniss gathered the clothes in her arms and Madge ducked behind the shower curtain, embarrassed. "Hi" Madge whispered to her friend as she peaked out of the shower.

Katniss offered what Madge believed was a smile. "Hi" the two girls just looked at each other and Madge blushed looking down at the clothes. "Oh, sorry" Kantiss murmured and walked back out into the hospital room.

Madge came out shortly after, dressed. She ran a brush from under the skin through her already forming wet curls and tied her hair into a make-shift bun. "Ready to go?" she asked the two. Their heads snapped towards her, confused. "Well I'm not staying here" Madge said rolling her eyes.

Gale coughed into his arm, hiding the smile. "Since when have you become the little rebel?" he got up taking her into his strong arms. Kantiss looked away, her eyebrows furrowing with question at the ground.

"Since they dug an I.V into my arm and knocked me out cold for a couple hours" Gale flinched and kissed her forehead.

"Do I want to ask?" Katniss said looking at the two of them

"What?" Gale said keeping an arm draped around Madge's waist. "Us?" he gestured a hand from his chest to Madge's head.

"No- I have that figured out" Katniss grumbled, rolling her eyes. "The scar" she pointed to the knobby thing covering Madge's face. A pale hand instantly went up to cover it and a few tears poured down her cheeks from the corner of her eyes.

"No Madge" Gale whispered and pulled her back to him again.

"I'm so sorry" Kantiss swallowed and shook her head.

"It doesn't matter" Madge groaned into Gale's rising chest. She couldn't think straight, he just smelled so good. She drooped against him, her eyes fluttering closed. "Can we go now?" she asked tiredly to the both of them, but she only looked up into his eyes.

"Yeah Madge. We can go now" he whispered back and looked over at Katniss. "Get us out of here" he smirked. They kept to the walls, creeping and ducking into rooms to avoid nurses and staff. Madge held her breath as she saw Dr. Marshall talking to the men who administered the shot.

"Is that your doctor?" Katniss whispered to her as they got to the main room, moving in and out from behind the desks. The sliding doors hissed as they opened and the three ran out, grabbing the first open elevator they saw.

Their hearts pounded and they all leaned over at the same time, barely missing each other's head. "Yeah that was my doctor" Madge heaved out, "pleasant woman" the two dark haired people rolled their eyes at her sarcasm.

"She looked like it" Gale laughed and wiped his forehead.

* * *

Dr. Marshall walked into Madge's room, hardly looking up from the gray metal clipboard in hand. She was talking to the nurses behind her as they came around the bed. She looked up expecting to meet the hard eyes of her patient.

Her brown eyes became slits though as she looked at the empty bed in front of her, the stainless steel pole and dangling I.V. The clipboard was out of her hands and falling to the floor before anyone could stop it. The two nurses shuttered as the sound echoed the room.

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**Erin**


	23. Chapter 23

**Anonime: hahaha same! :) Thanks! **

**Guest: No problem! Thanks! :D**

**JJ: I saw the opportunity and took it! It's going to go full Mockingjay rewrite hahaha HOPE THAT'S OKAY!**

* * *

They stepped off the elevator a floor below them and looked around the hallway. Gale moved Madge in front of him, giving her shoulders a squeeze. "I'm not sure what room everyone is in" Gale murmured, staring at the numbers on the doors they passed.

"How about we knock on every door we see" Katniss said dryly. Madge snorted.

"I would know if Haymitch didn't drag me through the halls for that pointless meeting" Gale snapped looking over at his friend.

"What meeting?" Madge asked looking up at him. Katniss raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing…" Gale growled. Before Madge could ask, the door nearest them busted open and the three were pulled inside by invisible arms into the dark. "What the" Gale yelled and lashed out at their capture.

"Hawthorne" Haymitch's voice yelled as the young man's fist struck his jaw. "Remind me to repay you for your bruising generosity" The light flickered on around them. The room illuminated to show countless stacks of newspaper and file folders scattered around them. The furniture was dusty and lifeless. The back room held a rusty bed set hardly used due to the crisp sheets.

"No problem" Gale sneered, taking Madge by the arm. Haymitch ignored at looked straight at the blonde.

"So you ditched the hospital" he said nonchalantly.

Madge nodded. "You don't understand" she started but he held up a hand, nodding slowly. He addressed the three in front of him with a grim face. Haymitch's voice dropped to a gruff whispered and they leaned forward to hear him.

"Not everyone here… is our friend" he pointed a finger at Madge's chest.

"We've been working with them for years" She said using the same tone of voice and pointing back.

"Doesn't matter, _sweetheart_" Haymitch rolled his eyes, "cameras"

"What?" she muttered folding her arms across her chest.

"There are cameras"

"I've seen them" Katniss spoke up, "they're in my room- staring me down"

"They were in my hospital room" Madge whispered

"They're probably in here" Gale murmured

"No, I destroyed them"

"And no one cared?" Madge laughed

"Oh they cared" Haymitch said angrily, "that's why I'm telling you now." He growled and pointed at Madge's chest again, "Not everyone here is our _friends_" he stressed.

"I get it" she shoved his hand away towards Gale.

"No I don't think you do. You do everything they say… and you won't get hurt"

"Well thanks for the warning on the plane. It's kind of too late now. Madge already broke the rules" Gale said stepping in front of her, "_you _already put her in danger" Haymitch only blinked, "_twice_" Gale yelled.

"Twice?" Katniss whispered to the short girl next to her.

"Yeah, he almost sent me to the Capitol" Madge said brightly.

"Look Kid" Haymitch said and brought up his hand.

"No" Gale said, "We're leaving" he took Madge's arm, and Katniss' shoulder, pushing them to the door.

"Well great but Madge stays here" Gale whipped around to face the mentor again.

"Says who?" Gale demanded

"Papers. I'm Ms. Undersee's legal guardian. She's suppose to be in this room"

"You're not even _fit _to be a guardian" Haymitch rolled his eyes.

"When you're ready to play daddy and settle down. Then you can have her back" Haymitch gently took Madge's hand and led her back to the bedroom, leaving Gale sputtering to Katniss. The door slammed closed behind the blonde as her godfather brought her back to the bedroom.

"Isn't this your room?" she whispered as he switched on the overhead light. It was hardly bigger than a walk-in closet at her house. A queen-sized bed was filling up the back wall of the room, a small trunk was placed at the end of the bed with a few books scattered about.

A bookshelf was on the wall next to the door, stacks of clothes on each shelf and a little desk lamp on top. "I sleep on the couch" he nodded towards the clothes, "put those on. You look like a ruffian" Madge smirked.

"I am a ruffian" His lips quirked but he only nodded and started to turn back to leave. "Oh, Haymitch" he froze mid-step looking over his shoulder. "What did you tell the hospital?" He left the room, now freely smiling.

"I told them to go find another patient to abuse"

"Haymitch… what if _they're_ not our friends"

Gale couldn't stop grumbling while the two walked down the hall. "Here's my room" Katniss said to him but he wasn't listening. She instead pushed him into the open doorway, coming face to face with Mrs. Everdeen.

"Oh sorry" he said and offered an odd smile. He sat down on the couch and covered his eyes with the back of his hands.

"Hey Gale"

"Hi Rory" Gale thawed out of his Madge trace, to look his younger brother in the eye, "what are you doing here?" Rory was lounging back in a love seat, a sleeping Prim curled around him, her hand gripping Rory's clean gray v-neck. Her long exposed legs poked out of the short gray smock dress and her feet twitched at the end of the couch. "What…?" was all that Gale could get out.

"This is sort of an awkward situation. Ma and the others are just down the hall. I think in 4B"

"You think? Does Ma know you're sitting here?" How could his younger brother be able to hold his girl? They were hardly 14. Rory shrugged.

"I just walked with the Everdeen's" he looked down at Prim with a little smile, "we were talking and then this happened"

"What exactly happened? You're comfortable." Rory blushed, his ears tingeing pink. "That's what I thought" Gale sighed. He looked over at Katniss who was staring at the young Hawthorne. "What are you going to do about this?" he asked her.

"I'm going to send Rory with you…" she whispered. "Then…" she smirked. "Talk to Prim" Gale was glad he wasn't going to be part of that conversation. He pulled Rory up quickly, disrupting Prim as she squealed and almost rolled off the couch.

"_Gale_" Rory said, pulling his arm out of his older brother's grip. "You could have hurt her"

"No I wouldn't… bye Catnip" she nodded and saw them out, as the two stumbled down the hall. They couldn't take their eyes off the numbers. They hit 4B and Gale lifted his fist to knock. The door swung open before he got the chance though and both boys looked down to see Posy with her hands on her hips.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, sounding strangely like her mother.

"Uh…" Both Gale and Rory said, blinking.

"No matter… come inside now and see our new home" she pulled their hands and dragged them into the hall. Bedrooms lined the front entrance; Gale noticed their nice size and that there was one for each of them.

Posy stopped and pointed to the second door in, "that's your room" she said to Gale. Then turned to the door across the hall, "that's your room, Ro" they looked at each other. Neither of them had a room to themselves. "Ma says you can't share with Madge" Posy said crinkling her nose as her wide gray eyes looked up at her eldest brother. Gale snickered.

"Okay Pos" he lifted her up, folding her over her shoulder. The little girl protested as she squealed and pounded his shoulders with little fists. Rory thought he was off the hook.

"Hey Ma" he called into the house, "guess what Rory was doing?" Rory grumbled under his breath.

"We weren't doing anything" he sneered but followed Gale all the way into the living room. Hazelle was in fresh clothes. Gray trousers, a white-gray t-shirt and a soft gray cardigan buttoned up. She was sitting with Vick, running a wet washcloth over his dirty face.

Posy was in new clothes too also an all gray outfit, Capri khakis and a tank-top showing off her little olive arms. She glanced at them. "Put new clothes on boys" she said and turned back to Vick, pulling the cloth over his lips. Rory took this time to leave, taking the hallway back to the door to his bedroom.

"Ma… Rory was"

"With Prim" she said raising an eyebrow. "Sleeping" she said. Hazelle dropped the washcloth back into a pot of warm water and set her hands on her lap, turning towards him. He nodded. "So?"

"So?" Gale blanched. "So?" he yelled and waved his arms.

"Gale calm down…" his mother stood from the couch and pulled his head down, kissing his forehead. "Go change" Gale shuffled back to his room. The door was closed to Rory's room and the light was shining through the crack under the door, illuminating the floor.

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**Erin**


	24. Chapter 24

**No one reviewed the last chapter :,O So sad! I couldn't wait for anyone to post a review... so here is chapter 24. **

**Thanks to MadlyBrainless (Love your name!) & KelsieRideout for following! ALSO Thanks for favoriting. You guys are the best! **

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The telegram came as Gale was shrugging on plain gray sweatpants. His mother answered the door and accepted the little envelop. She slipped it under the door. His fingers pulled out the little card: INTEG ROOM 6. REQUESTED BY H ABERNATHY. ARRIVAL TIME- NOW.

Gale couldn't stop passing in front of Haymitch, his large hand dragging through his short hair, back and forth and back and forth. "What do you expect from us?" Finnick asked from behind him.

"I expect for you to be back within the same day or the early morning just after midnight, with both of the targets and little damage on all of you."

"Oh is that all?" Gale growled, "Sounds like a walk in the park" Finnick snickered. "How about you find someone else for the job?"

"We can't. You're it Hawthorne. You and Water Boy" Finnick raised an eyebrow at the nickname.

"I have people to come back to" his hands slammed into the table before he could help himself, "damn it, find someone else"

"Like Hell." Haymitch sneered, "You two are the best we got. You'll get it done" Haymitch pushed off the wall he was leaning on and slammed the interrogation room's heavy door behind him.

"Gale" the young man looked over at the victor. "I have your back" Finnick reminded him. Gale was too tired to argue though,

"Shut up" he murmured and left.

The water falling off her back was making her feel less lonely. She couldn't stop thinking. Haymitch had left an hour ago. At first, Madge tried to sleep; she tried to close her eyes, tried to even her breaths, and tried to calm her pounding heart. That was what drove her under the warm water.

She drew the towel over her leg as it rested on top of the shower ledge. Her actions were stopped however, as she heard the front door slam. She lifted her head, listening and waiting for any sign of who it could be. Of course, she assumed it was Haymitch returning from where he went off to. But her heart was yearning to see another.

"Hello?" she called to the closed door in front of her.

"Madge?" his voice, she had missed that voice, the husky calm that overwhelmed her senses.

"One second Gale" she said and looked back to her legs. "I'm not…" it was too late the doorknob turned and he walked in, his floppy dark hair falling over one eye. She squealed trying to cover herself with the towel.

"You're so beautiful" he whispered and walked right up to her, taking her chin with his thumb and pointer, turning it up towards him. He captured her lips with a passion she hadn't felt from him yet. She dropped the towel, as she brought her hands around his neck and locked.

A shiver ran through her as he groaned, running his hands along her bare hips and ribcage. "Gale" she heaved and tried to pull back.

"I love you" he whispered in between rushed kisses to her jaw line and down her neck. "I love you." He said again but this time it seemed like he was saying goodbye.

Madge sat up with a jolt. Her hands went to her matted down hair, feeling the sweat drawing on her brow. She threw the sheets off her, swinging one leg out of the gray fabric and out into the cool air of her bedroom.

She couldn't wrap her brain around the dream. Her hands dropped to her lap and she pushed herself away from the mattress towards the open door. The apartment was quiet and her feet could be heard shuffling on the way to the kitchen. She reached up, opening a cabinet door.

As soon as the kettle screamed out, Madge jumped from her spot at the table and made her way over, mug in hand. She poured too quickly and the water splashed over her fingers. She dropped the mug, the glass scattering at her feet.

"Gah!" she called out and froze, worried about the sharp jagged pieces. Her hand was crying out and her feet were unable to move.

"Madge?" she looked up with wide blue eyes as he entered the apartment. The key dangled in hand.

"Gale wait!" she said and pointed to the green glass around her. He stopped and followed her fingers.

"Oh, Madge" he sighed and came over his shoes crinkling the mug pieces. He lifted her up with no effort and dropped her on the couch a ways away. He went back over taking a broom and dust pan from behind the fridge.

She couldn't stop thinking about the dream. Her hands shook as she looked over her shoulder at him. His shoulder blades moved under his tight gray shirt and the olive skin peeking out from his low riding sweatpants. She looked down at herself, taking in her new gray dress. The simple sweetheart neckline emphasized how little cleavage she had. It dropped down from there to a gathered waistline and simple slightly grayer belt to a pencil skirt, her short but toned legs and rounded knees spilling out.

Madge couldn't help feeling too much of a professional. Yet, she did want Haymitch to take her seriously and get her back into the governmental line of work, like Gale. Since she guessed that's what the meeting was about. He came over then with a pleasant smile.

"You don't have any glass poking you, right?" he checked her feet, swiping a finger over the flesh there.

"Ahh" she screamed and giggled uncontrollably, "no" she cried and bit her lip, "I'm ticklish!" Gale dropped her foot, with red ears of funny embarrassment. She wiped her eyes, smiling up at him. Her smile was short lived though as her mind wandered back to the dreamy feel of his hands on her bare skin, as Goosebumps rose.

He cleared his throat and it was her turn to go pink. Had she really just licked her lips like that? "Were you going to have tea?" Madge nodded furiously, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind. "You could come back to our room and have some. I think Ma just put a pot on"

"Haymitch might be expecting me to be here when I get back" she whispered trying not to wring her hands.

"I'm sure he doesn't" Gale held up a hand, looking hopeful and a bit confused.

"Well if he was then…"

"I assure you" Gale said, his eyes becoming slightly narrow. "He won't." Madge took his up turned palm and pulled herself off the couch. She smoothed out her skirts and pulled down the hem. Gale stood ready to escort her out of the dull room.

"Actually" his voice was forced and he choked back air. "I need to admit something… here" Madge looked up at him.

"What?"

"I'm not going to be… here for a while" he said and then shook his head, "No…" he muttered under his breath and ran a hand through his hair.

"What?" Madge repeated, pressing a hand to his chest.

"I'm part of this rescue mission" he mumbled, not meeting her worried gaze.

"What rescue mission?" Madge asked, turning his head with her fingers to look into his eyes.

"The one for Mellark" he sighed and took her hand, his lips trailing over her smooth knuckles.

"Is that what the meeting was for?" she watched his lips on her skin. He nodded. They stood silent for a few minutes. "When do you go?" Madge whispered.

"Three days" he said and wrapped his hands around her golden curls.

"That's so soon" the pit growing in her stomach, wasn't subsiding.

"Too soon" Gale remarked, sinking his cheek against her temple.

"You're not going alone right?" her shoulders were already weighing down with the concern.

"Finnick Odair is my partner. Haymitch says that he can't get anyone else to go. We're only picking up Mellark and Finnick's Annie. We should get the whole thing done in a couple hours, according to the plan team. It's bullshit. They'll know we're coming for them." Madge kept quiet just letting him rant.

"Haymitch keeps calling it our suicide mission. I don't even want to go. I have no idea why I'm going."

"I thought you signed up for this" Madge said turning her head to the side.

"No. When we got on the hovercraft and you were taken away to the infirmary there, I begged Haymitch to take me back to you. I bargained that I would get Mellark if I got to see you. And I didn't get to see you because you came to us. Apparently though I was still roped into this mission"

"I'm so sorry, Gale" Madge wasn't holding back any more tears. "I'm so sorry" she pressed her lips to his and they stumbled back, taking in each other. Gale broke the kiss, nudging her neck with his nose.

"It's not your fault." He whispered.

"It is" she cried and he ran his fingers under her eyes and traced her scar. "What would Bristel say about this?" Madge smiled slightly and Gale's lips turned up.

"She would tell me to grow some balls." They laughed and then grew sober. "And she would tell me to come back" Madge froze at the terror in his shaking voice.

"Do you expect not to come back?"

**Reviewwww please :( **

**Erin**


	25. Chapter 25

**Phoebe: Why would I do that? O.O I love Gale. **

**Guest: It's okay :) Thanks. So glad you like it. **

**Swimmer07: Great! Here it is! Enjoy! Keep reviewing!**

**JJ: It seriously is. This wouldn't be a _Gadge _story if I killed him. The characters don't know that. haha **

**anonime: It's cool :) Thanks for liking the story!  
**

**THANKS TO ALL MY FOLLOWERS AND FAVORITERS!**

* * *

"I am…" Gale whispered and tucked more hair behind her ear.

"Then don't say stuff like that" she pounded his chest with a fist. He laughed, throwing his head back.

"Sorry, I'll remember that for next time" he ran his hands over her shoulders and down her smooth arms. Madge smiled slightly.

"Are you sure that…" she said softly, he cut her off with a harsh kiss that took over her tender lips.

"Yes" he sighed against the corner of her mouth. "Don't worry. Everything will be okay" She made a face and he laughed again. "Really, Madge" her stomach turned at the sound of her name coming from his mouth.

"I believe you" she whispered. "I just…"

"Worry" he smiled and touched the part of her scar under her eye. "I'll be back before you know it."

* * *

Her hands curling around his face, the newly pink scar running over her face, the curve of her lips, the curve of her _hips, _everything that that went into her, the way her nose scrunched up when she was thinking, her obsession with tea and books.

Gale couldn't stop thinking about that curly blonde haired girl as he leaned back in a desk chair. His eyes blinked closed allowing himself to get lost in his memories. "Hawthorne" he heard it fall off her lips, and envisioned her lips turning at the corners up with a smile. "Hawthorne…" he let the breath out in a dreamy sigh. Madge Hawthorne. "Hawthorne- so help me" Gale snapped out of his trance, looking up at Katniss, Finnick, and Haymitch staring him down. He had the decency to blush.

"Sorry" he said waving a hand, "go on" they stopped paying attention to him again and closed his eyes, going back to think of the swell of her breasts in that tight dress she was wearing earlier, her sweet light in her blue eyes. "Hawthorne" he snapped out of his daze again.

"What?" he asked and looked up at Haymitch for a sixth time.

"If you're not going to listen, you should be on your way" Gale didn't waste a second pushing in his chair and leaving the room. He stumbled down the halls, his hands deep in his sweatpants' pocket. He knew where he was going.

He nodded to a few people as he darted towards the elevator but failed to see the up button illuminated. Gale was surprised then as the elevator lurched upwards towards market place and terminal. Before he knew it the doors were squeaking open to reveal a floppy haired Hawthorne.

"What are you doing here?" Gale asked, moving aside. Rory shrugged and walked in, standing next to him.

"I got a job because I used all my ration tickets"

"_All _of them?" Gale asked his hair whipping across his face as he looked over at his brother. The doors closed again and this time Rory leaned forward to press the first residential button.

"Yup" Gale looked down at his brother's empty hands.

"On what?" he demanded. Rory dug into his jacket pocket and held up a little black box. "What is that?" Gale asked and snatched it out of the boy's hand.

"Gale-"Gale ignored his name and opened the box, slowly. The ring glittered off the dim light of the overhead light in the elevator and flashed over the metal on the walls. It was a simple gold ring with grooves wrapping around the top. Little diamonds stuck into the shadows of the spiral and little purple gems outlined the other side of the spiral.

"No" Gale whispered looking up at his brother. "You're not…" Gale wiped his face with a hand. Rory took the box back, snapping it closed.

"I can do whatever I want to do" Rory closed his arms across his chest.

"What is _that_? You didn't also get a tattoo either…" Gale grabbed his brother's arm, turning it up to show the writing printed on his arm.

"That's the silly schedule we have to put on our arms" Rory said rolling his eyes. "You're lucky you don't have to get one"

"It says you're supposed to be in school" Gale said shaking his head.

"Yeah… oh well. Prim isn't in school either. She's working in the hospital." Rory shrugged and the elevator doors opened to the hallway. The brothers walked out onto the level.

"We're not talking about Prim. How can you just say: 'Oh well'?" Gale shook his head again. "You still have to go to school and be a _kid_" Gale said pointing to his younger brother's chest. "Nothing has changed. Grow up."

"What are you talking about" Rory glared. "_Everything_ has changed, Gale" he shoved his brother out of his way, stumbling Gale towards the cold gray walls. "Have you not noticed that we're in a completely different district, a district that isn't even supposed to be here? You're in love with _Madge Undersee_, the mayor's daughter that you _despise_. You're going to be going to the Capitol for a dangerous undercover mission" Rory forced a laugh and rolled his eyes. "I think _you're _the one that has to grow up."

"You can't ask Prim to marry you" Gale finally whispered, looking up from the spot he had been staring down.

"Why not?" Rory grumbled.

"You're too young. That hasn't changed. You're still barely 16, you're not even old enough to work in the mines and support a family. Don't even start with me about having children." Rory didn't make eye contact and his shoulders slumped with defeat.

"Fine but it's still here" he said gesturing to the box in his hand. "Like a promise ring. Engaged and married aren't the same things."

"You're still pretty naïve. Usually when someone gets engaged they shortly marry."

"It'll be a long engagement." Gale snorted.

"You got that right. So how about you just hold onto it until you can say a short engagement" Gale patted his brother's shoulder. "I do like the commitment to Prim though"

"Whatever Gale" Rory's voice cracked and he left his brother standing in front of the elevator. Gale gave him a good head start and then took off, sauntering towards their apartment building. When their door closed behind him, he ignored the voices down the hall and went into his dark room.

He didn't bother the light switch. Gale just tumbled onto his bed and covered his eyes with the palms of his hands. He couldn't go see Madge now. He wouldn't be able to get that word out of his head. Or the image. Marriage and the ring shining on her fourth finger.

"Damn" he whispered to the ceiling. He took the chance and sat up, calling down the hall, "going out, don't wait up" and snapped the door closed again. His feet took him to the open doorway that was Haymitch's room.

She looked like she was going out, in another little professional dress and hopeful facial expression. "I was just about to come look for you" she smiled and was about to continue her sentence when his lips were on hers. "What's wrong?" she smirked and narrowed her eyes at him.

"I have a lot on my mind" her playful smile fell from her face and changed into remorse.

"Of course you do" her arms wrapped around his middle and she rested her head on his chest.

"I leave tomorrow, Madge" he whispered into her hair. She nodded, closing her eyes. "I don't want to go" he whispered. "I don't want to leave you. Don't want to say goodbye"

"Saying goodbye isn't the hard part" Madge said and looked up. "It's just I can't bare the feeling" her voice wavered, "that I might lose you"

**Reviewwww! :D **

**Erin**


	26. Chapter 26

**Em: I CANNOT WAIT FOR THAT TRAILER. Glad you like it still! :D **

**anonime: It's AU so I made Rory little bit older than he is in the books but not by much they said 12-14... eh oh well. Prim is just a little older too. **

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Danger around every turn wasn't her forte. Madge hated the feeling of death being so normal now. Haymitch was talking about Gale's demise like it was a walk in the park. "Look" she said and slammed down her fork, staring her guardian down from the opposite side of the table. He raised an eyebrow.

"What, Princess? Am I bothering you?"

"You're not just bothering me. I feel like tearing you to shreds"

"With those hands?" he smirked. She growled.

"I can't even think of a decent word to call you right now" she furiously brushed her hair out of her face. Haymitch chuckled, stabbing into his meat.

"I just want to get you ready for the emotions" he said shaking his head. Madge pushed away from the table and knocked over her chair. She hardly looked at the mentor as she left the apartment. She wasn't sure where she was going. Gale was probably wanting some time with his family.

She was about to get on the elevator when she heard her name being squealed. Her blonde curls were tossed over her shoulder as she looked back at the girl rushing towards her. "Oh, Madge" Prim smiled and held up her hand.

There shining on her little hand was a gold ring. Madge's stomach dropped. "What is that?" she whispered and took the girl's hand in hers.

"An engagement ring, from Rory" she giggled, her face was bright red with blush. Madge wasn't sure what to say.

"Aren't you a little young for marriage?" Prim glared.

"I thought you would be happy for me" Madge raised an eyebrow.

"You're not even the same age as him. Why? Are you ready to move in with Rory? Have the huge responsibility of bills, worries, woes of adulthood? Why would you think that I would agree with this?" Madge was getting worked up. "Why? Aren't you just what- thirteen, fourteen?" Madge couldn't stop thinking and she was verging on hysteria. "You wanted me to be jealous" Madge said and growled. "I know. I can see it in your eyes" she moved Prim out of her sight and didn't look back at the young girl as she took off down the hall.

She only stopped at a storage closet. She flung it open, pulling her shoulder and popping the muscle. She let the pain calm her. Madge let the tears fall.

"Find your own closet" Katniss said quietly as she looked down her hands.

"Fine" Madge grumbled and slammed the door in her friend's face. Her shoulder hurt and she rubbed it with a hand as she searched the wall for another closet. She found one at the end of a hallway. She opened it and closed it. She slumped to the ground and looked up at the mops around her.

She kicked the bottom of her foot against the door and was satisfied with the rattle it made. She rested her head against the wall and looked straight ahead into the darkness around her. Madge brushed the hair out of her face and concentrated on her breathing.

The absolute silence led Madge to become overwhelmed in her sadness. All at once she broke down her eyes leaking all her woes that had been building up the past few days. She couldn't help thinking that this was the end. That after everything she would be left alone in the world.

"You're being stupid" she cried to herself but still snorted tears into her cupped hands.

"Madge?" she froze looking up at the closed door.

"Thom?" He knocked on the door and then it opened to show the scruffy man himself.

Madge shielded her eyes from the light outside but it disappeared as Thom closed the closet closed behind him. She felt him shift around until he was sitting next to her on the ground. "Did that sorry excuse of a miner break up with you?" he dryly joked, wrapping an arm around her.

"No" her voice broke and she wiped the back of her hand under her running nose.

"What happened?" he whispered and she could hear his hair pressing against the concrete wall behind them.

"Everything" she said in the same tone. "It's too much. Too overwhelming" she admitted, "life I mean" she said and looked over at him. She could almost make out his shadowy figure in the dark.

"Mhm" She saw the simple movement of his head bobbing into a nod.

"Gale's leaving… tomorrow. For this secret mission for my Godfather" she explained. "His… Gale's chances… are not.. the best" she sighed, letting out a few more tears.

"I see. Is this that rescue mission for Peeta?" Thom wondered.

"Yeah" she said surprised, "how do you know about it?"

"Gale asked me to help with it"

"Are you going too?" Madge whispered.

"No" he chuckled. Then Madge was upset,

"Why not?" she demanded.

"I originally said yes. Then Gale came up to me yesterday and told me I couldn't go…"

"Why did he do that?" she squealed angrily.

"He knew that you would be broken like this" Thom whispered, "and since I have no one, he told me to look after you… if he… you know" he finished lamely. Madge didn't answer for a few moments, mulling this over in the back of her mind.

"Thom-" her voice cracked.

"I know" he shrugged and she felt the movement through his arm over her shoulder.

"I miss Bristel" Madge admitted, "this would be so much better with her here"

"How so?" he swallowed audibly.

"All she would have to do is punch Gale in the arm… and then me" Madge started, "and then told us to grow up" Thom laughed softly.

"And that would make it better" he agreed.

"Put a light to things" they fell back to silence.

"She's not here though" the tone of his voice broke Madge's heart.

"No" Madge said calmly.

"She's never going to be here"

"No" Madge repeated.

"I was a rock… to everyone" Thom said looking over at her.

"I heard… I remember" Madge said thinking back to those times in the woods.

"Now I'm crumbling to pieces like sandstone. No longer the strong granite. And so is everyone else is too."

They left the closet a little while later, walking back, keeping their arms folded across their chests. They didn't bother to look over at each other or start a normal conversation. Thom dropped Madge off in her room and told her where she could find him.

"See you tomorrow… at the send off" he said and pulled her towards him so he could kiss her forehead. "Night Madge. Get some sleep" he smirked and left, stumbling slowly down the hall. Madge knocked on the door but it was already ajar.

"Hey sorry about earlier" she said to Haymitch lounging on the couch. He only shrugged. She didn't need to go into further apology, Madge didn't do anything wrong.

"Gale dropped off something… it's on your bookshelf" Madge left the living room and walked back into her bedroom. She picked up a little green box and studied it. Inside was an opal gem on a silver chain. It glinted off the artificial light in the room.

"Not a ring" she sighed and set it back on the shelf to collect dust. She sat on her bed and starred at it from afar. Finally she gave up glaring at it and took it out of the box. She unhooked the chain.

"Let me help you" she looked back at him as he walked into the room.

"Thanks" she sighed and let Haymitch wrap it around her neck. It looked nice against her skin.

"Pretty" he commented and she nodded, looking down at it. "He's smart" Haymitch said and moved her hair back over her shoulder. "He'll be back here at your side before you know it"

**REVIEW. Poor Madge... (and Prim and Rory... hmm.) THOM isn't that part just so sad?- I had to bring him back into the story though. **

**Erin**


	27. Chapter 27

**Guest: Your name didn't go through with your review. Sorry! Thank you soooo much! I have a crush with Gale as well! But the Gale I created in my head not Liam Hemsworth. Thresh is awesome too but Finnick has my heart. Thanks! I'm so glad you like my stories!**

**JJ: Hahaha we all think it's cute. Other than Gale and Madge who are desperately jealous. Gale is angry that he isn't the first one engaged and Madge is just heartbroken. **

**Em: ahahaha yeah dem feels:) It gets worse in the next chapter when Gale leaves. Booo hooo hooo.**

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Gale couldn't sleep. He stood leaning against the wall outside his family's apartment. Posy had fallen asleep with him every day since he announced he'd be leaving. The thing was that she heated him up. So much with her sleeping breaths and her body draping over his that he couldn't sleep peacefully.

Now he was just staring down the wall directly in front of him waiting for some sense of morning. That was the only thing that he was looking forward to. The sunlight, wind, trees, grass, stars, and moon. He hardly noticed the person walking down the hall and stopping in front of him. He didn't look down.

He was too lost in his thoughts. Arms wrap around his middle and he lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Gale looked down at the blonde hair that was a tangled mess. He tried to drag his fingers through it but they caught.

"Hey" she whispered, her blinking blue eyes looking up at him. She yawned covering her mouth with the back of her hand. He nodded, not trusting his gruff voice. He cleared his throat.

"Hi" he pushed a lonely stand of hair back behind her ear. She smiled slightly.

"You're not able to sleep either?" she continued to whisper, looking down at her hands moving onto his chest.

"Posy took over my bed" he smirked and looked over her head back at the wall.

"Oh" Madge said softly. "Haymitch snores…"

"You don't have to lie, Undersee. I wouldn't have slept with or without Posy" She nodded and leaned against him. Then he snickered.

"What?" she said lazily and looked up at him again.

"We can always send Posy back to Ma and you can take her place" his lips turned up at the corners. Madge couldn't help turning red. "I'll go take her back to her bed" he leaned down and set his lips against hers. She was hesitant and he smiled, parting from her.

Gale disappeared into the room, letting the door swing open and stay to let Madge in behind him. He passed Vick's room and Rory's room and turned into his own. Posy had taken all the blankets now and had curled herself against the wall.

He coaxed his sister out of bed and pulled her into his arms, curling her towards his chest. She sputtered but didn't wake. He brought her out of his room and smiled at Madge as she clung near the wall. He went down the hall further and kicked the door open softly and dropped the young girl next to his sleeping mother.

Gale left the room, closing the door with a little thump. Then made his way back to Madge, her legs crossed and her eyes focused on the hardwood floor, Gale smiled softly and took her arm. The room was dark and Madge almost ran into his side table.

Madge was pushed lightly down on the bed, her feet popping up from the cool floor. Gale pulled the sheets from the wall over her, and then got in himself. She was shaking, but he was pretty sure it wasn't because she was cold.

He gave her some room even though all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and sink his nose into the crook of her neck. He want to breath in her scent all night be familiar with it. He wanted to bottle up the soothing smell and take it with him, next letting it go.

He looked over at her in the shadows but was only able to see her outline. She shifted towards him and he took his chance to envelop her in his arms. "Oh Madge" he whispered and she shivered. It was different in the dark. More intimate somehow.

He woke to running feet of his siblings. That was when Gale assumed it was morning. He rolled over and rubbed his eyes, yawning and stretching. His eyes blinked open, and he stared down the plain ceiling. But evidently froze as he looked back down at himself and his bed mate.

They were both unclothed. His breathing sped up as he tried to remember the events that had happened the night before. A knock came from his door and his head whipped over to look at it. "Uh… who is it?" he said, his voice breaking.

"Ma…" his mother said from the closed door, "Rory, Prim, Vick and Posy made you breakfast" he nodded then realized she couldn't see him.

"Okay" he said and looked down at the blonde next to him. He thought over the night. They had cried and talked and kissed. That's when he remembered it getting it out of hand. "Madge" he whispered and leaned over kissing her forehead.

The girl groaned and rolled over, away from her, exposing her bare back. He took the time to run his hands over the smooth skin there. "What?" she grumbled into the pillow.

"Its morning" Gale said and tickled the back of her neck. Madge groaned again.

"No it's not… five more minutes" she huffed when he said nothing and sat up looking over at him. Then squealed as he raised his eyebrows at her, she pulled the sheets up to her body and her eyes widened. "I'm… we're… did we?" she said her breathing coming in short confused breaths.

Gale shrugged. Apparently that wasn't the right answer and he was pushed from the bed, and sent tumbling onto the floor. "Ugh" he said as his shoulder hit the ground. She stumbled out of bed, carrying the sheets with her, covering herself up.

She pulled on her pajamas and threw his at Gale, still lying on the ground, groaning. "Get dressed" she hissed and slammed the bedroom door closed behind her. Gale couldn't even warn her that his family was waiting for him.

Madge was back a second later, her back pressed up against the closed bedroom door. Her blue eyes wide and panicked, "you're family is up and they don't know I'm here" she whispered. "What do we do… do I leave? I can do that" she said quickly and Gale shrugged.

"It's my last day here until I you know- get back…" he said and pulled on plaid gray and gray-blue boxers. "They'll go easy on us… also Prim is here and"

"How do you know Prim is here?" Madge demanded coming closer to him.

"I talked to Ma through the door" he said and pulled his gray t-shirt over to him.

"Well at least Rory and Prim have an excuse" Madge grumbled and looked away from Gale.

"What do you mean?" Gale asked, getting up off the floor.

"They'll be married soon" Madge said and rolled her eyes. She toyed with the necklace between two fingers. Gale was confused and frozen looking up at her.

"I have no idea what you are talking about" he thought about the ring that Rory showed him.

"Prim… she announced her engagement to me yesterday" Madge whispered. "She seemed like she couldn't wait to rub it in my face. I mean all I have from you is this necklace" she said and shrugged, "even though it's breathlessly beautiful it isn't going to change my last name"

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me that Rory proposed to Prim?" he said his voice becoming dangerously low. Madge shifted on her feet, going ridged in front of him. She nodded slowly. "That no good-" he started and pushed past the small girl storming down to the living room.

The first thing he saw was Posy eating a large piece of buttered bread. Her hands covered with the soft butter. Then he saw the brother in question, his hand hanging off Prim's shoulder. He glanced down at Prim's hands as she buttered her own piece of bread.

They were ringless, Gale relaxed slightly. "Rory…" he said and his brother looked up from laughing at Prim.

"Good morning, Gale" he said brightly. To Gale it was a forced brightness.

"Congratulations" Gale continued, leaning on the table towards his brother. Rory tried to look surprised.

"Gale?" his mother asked looking up from The Underground, District 13's newspaper.

"Congratulations on your stupidity" Gale bit out.

"Who did you tell?" Rory hissed at Prim, who looked smug.

"She told me" Madge said from the hall just as Gale's fists slammed into the table.

**REVIEW. Who knew Prim was such a bitch? Eh that's how I see her being after Katniss gets back. It's AU people. **

**Erin**


	28. Chapter 28

**JJ: Oh Thanks! That's what I was thinking. I like writing this Prim because then she kinda an opposite to Rory. **

**Em: I love your comment: "Gale is just like whut" I love cliffhangers. They are my life. **

**anonime: It's not really explained so it's not really important haha just a blimp. A write in that didn't go anywhere. **

**Phoebe: Don't worry- I like fights. :D**

* * *

"Damn it Rory" Gale said through clenched teeth. Hazelle stood frozen staring at her eldest son.

"What is this about?" she asked

"Your son… has proposed to Prim" Gale said not bothering to look at his mother.

"Rory?" Hazelle said setting a hand on his shoulder "is this true?"

"Yeah Ma" he said quietly and looked down at his hands.

"I don't see the big deal of this situation" Prim said leaning back in her chair.

"Don't see the big deal?" Gale said gripping the chair in front of him with white knuckles.

"Calm down, Gale" Madge whispered coming up behind him.

"Yeah calm down" Prim glared. The room went silent as the group looked over at the young blonde.

"Well… Prim…" Hazelle started. "You're too young to be seriously thinking about marriage" Gale relaxed slightly at that and looked over at Madge.

"We're not babies" Prim replied taking Rory's limp hand.

"No, dear. But you're also not adults" Madge rested her hand on Gale's back.

"I don't see how this is anyone's business" Prim shook her hand and dug the engagement ring out of her gray jean's pocket, sliding it on her fourth finger.

"It's our business because Rory isn't of legal age to make these decisions by himself" Hazelle said in a trying tone. She was losing her cool.

"We weren't even going to get married right away" Prim continued at Rory's expense. Hazelle raised her eyebrows. "We were going to wait a few more years until were around 18 or 19 years old"

"I get it" Hazelle said, "but it would make more sense to hold off the engagement until then as well"

"I rather have the long engagement" Prim said pressing her lips together.

"What has your mother said about this?" Hazelle asked, sitting down at the head of the table.

"My mother?" Prim said looking over at Rory.

"Have you not told her?" Hazelle demanded, looking up at Gale.

"No of course not" Prim laughed awkwardly.

"What about Katniss?" Madge asked from halfway behind Gale.

"Katniss would never understand" Prim rolled her eyes.

"See I would expect Madge and Gale getting engaged but Rory I never took you for being competitive" Madge's hand shook as a shiver ran down Gale's back and he smirked looking back at her.

"Competitive, Ma?" he asked lazily

"You wanted to be engaged before Gale… married before Gale. Am I right?" Gale was back snarling at his younger brother.

"What?" Rory sputtered, "no- that's not it at all"

"I don't get it" Gale said and left the room.

"Gale- where are you going?" Hazelle called and Madge shrugged, following Gale.

"If everyone forgot, today is a pretty important day of my life" he said and disappeared into his room. Madge stared at the uniform Gale was taking out of the shallow closet. It looked exactly like something a peacekeeper would wear but the inside of it was the color of Mockingjay wings.

He unzipped the bag covering it and raised his eyebrows at the girl in front of him. She didn't move from the doorway. "Uh- Madge?" he smiled and she turned red.

"What?" she asked and looked away from the suit.

"Are you going to stay in here while I'm changing or go out?" she faltered in her spot by the door.

"Err" was her brilliant response. She closed the door behind her and made her way over to the lumpy mattress. She sat on the comforter and studied her hands. He chuckled and shucked his shirt, tossing it over to her.

Madge smiled up at him and pulled his shirt right side in. She folded it and set it at the end of the bed. "You know…" he said from the closet area. She didn't bother looking over. "I think all we did was sleep, last night. You don't have to worry about… uh. Bad situations and such like that" she nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure I would remember something like that" she could hear the smirk in his voice and she felt her face heat up.

"Gale" she sighed but couldn't help but laugh. The bed shifted as he sat back in the clean uniform. The white looked good on Gale's tan skin and made his eyes brighten. His shaggy hair was displaced and wild from sleep still and he had dark circles under his eyes. "You look good" she said before she could help herself.

"I'm falling apart in the inside" he admitted but smiled and kissed her cheek with the scar.

"You'll be just fine" she said. Yet, a hard swallow followed. She was nervous.

"I'm going to miss you" she whispered.

"Same" he said and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Before you go…" she said and looked towards the closed door.

"Yeah?" he asked and moved closer to her on the bed.

"What is this?"

"What?" he muttered and ran his fingers over her neck.

"What are we?" she reworded.

"We're us" he laughed and turned her head towards him. She laughed as well.

"No, I mean are we together?"

"Do you want to be?" he asked and dropped his hands into his lap.

"I think so" she smiled and her cheeks tinged with pink.

"You think so?" he cried and threw his head back with a hearty laugh. "What's holding you back?"

Madge shrugged and leaned against the wooden headboard, "I guess it would just be this trip"

"Don't call it a trip; I'm not going to have any fun"

"You're mission" she substituted.

"Are you still worried?"

"Aren't you?" she growled.

"I gave up worrying" he said, "It takes too much energy to worry" she ignored his answer and toyed with the necklace he had given her. "Madge" he whispered and she closed her eyes.

"What?" she whispered back.

"Let's just say that this necklace means more than a silly ring on your finger" he pulled her into his arms. "It's all of me, then some" he kissed the top of her head. "It's close to your heart and your body" she gasped and looked up to him. "No matter where I am. I'm with you. No matter what you're doing. I love you. No matter who you're with. As long as your happy I am too."

Madge couldn't stop the tears from falling. She couldn't stop shaking and pleading that he wouldn't go. She was quiet as the family, minus Prim walked Gale to the elevator. Madge ignored her guardian when he met them in front of the tarmac. It was only until her last goodbye when she whispered to Gale.

"I'm yours. Now and forever."

* * *

**Review! Yeah... read my new one-shot Broken Top. (AU Gadge). I'm not sure if I'm going to add onto it yet. Maybe if I get a lot of reviews asking me to I will. **

**Erin**


	29. Chapter 29

**Forgive me. I have not updated. I have been blanking. BLANKING. So yeah. Sorry. Also I wrote Broken Top... and got a little obsessive trying to produce a second chapter. Guess what everybody: I GAVE UP. :)**

**TGWETWP (Sorry I shortened your name): Thank you so much! I'm so glad you like the direction it's taking!**  
**anonime: Thank you!**  
**Guest: I'm sorry you thought that. I'll try to change it for the future. **  
**Em: Keep reviewing Babe! Glad you love it still!**

Gale left Madge with a sad look and turned towards Finnick and Haymitch. They had no one to say goodbye to. Gale met up with them with a huff, "how is this going to go down?" he wondered and looked back at him family just as Thom and Katniss were joining them.

"Well you're getting in this plane" Haymitch said gesturing to the hovercraft behind him. "Flying to the Capitol, get Peeta and come home. Piece of cake"

"And Annie" Finnick added in a low voice.

"And Annie" Haymitch said and patted the boy on the shoulder. Gale looked back at Madge one last time. "Oh go say goodbye again" Haymitch said, waving towards the blonde girl. He took off in long strides, his knuckles turning white as he dug his fingernails into his palm. He was trying not to fall into a sprint.

He took over her lips, not caring about how was watching. He could feel the squeaked on his lips and he smiled, taking her scent and the feel of her hair on his hands. She was shaking by the end of the kiss, a permanent red stain on her cheeks and rapidly blinking blue eyes.

"Don't leave" she whispered, "please" his heart dropped at her feet. He dug his fingernails back into his palms. He wouldn't cry.

"Everything will be alright" he said, melting his forehead to hers. "Don't worry."

"You know I will" she breathed and a tear escaped the corner of her eye. He brushed it away quickly and his finger lingered on her knobby scar. He laughed and she bit her lip, looking towards the concrete.

"See you when I get back" he tucked a loose curl behind her ear but it only made its way in front of her right eye, again.

"See you" she said and disappeared behind the family. Gale squared his shoulders and brushed off the shoulders of his uniform. Behind Rory, Madge offered him a silly smile through streaming tears.

"Bye Guys" he said to his siblings and mother.

"Take care of yourself, Gale" Thom said.

"You too" Gale nodded. Thom only shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"Bring him back" Katniss said, raising her eyebrows with challenge. Gale chuckled.

"I will protect him with my life" he stuck the side of his head to his forehead and made his way back to the plane. He ducked his head and climbed aboard. The stairs exhaled air as they raised and secured the team into the ship.

Madge pressed three fingers to her lips and closed her eyes.

An hour later Madge was lounging on Thom's couch. She had a mug in her hands filled with steaming tea. It didn't stop her tears. Thom was trying not to smirk from the armchair across from her. He was only looking at his tea.

She finally looked over at him and noticed his expression, "what?" she sniffled and took a sip of her drink.

"It's pathetic" he laughed and shook his head, "us- our life"

"What?" she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

"We didn't think it could get worse" he paused, "the mines, the games, the constant reminder of poverty"

"I take this over that."

"I wouldn't" Thom cut her off. "You wouldn't- you would have your parents, a nice life" he didn't stop, "I would have Bri" Madge sat silent.

"I wouldn't have Gale" she said finally.

"You don't know that" he said.

"I do." She cleared her throat. "He hated me before the woods." Thom fixed his hands around his brown mug. "Hell- you even hated me before the woods. Everyone hated me. My father ignored me. My mother was too sick to notice me. I was an untouchable soul. Katniss was the only one. Don't you see? I completely disagree with you. I very much prefer this life." Thom nodded dumbly. "Have you nothing to add?" He shook his head.

They fell silent until someone knocked on the door. Thom stumbled over to it and raised his eyebrows at Madge. She shrugged. The door swung open to reveal Katniss. She was wearing an oversized gray sweatshirt over gray leggings, her hair was a mess.

Neither of them asked, they just let her in and sit. "Kat" Thom started and looked over at Madge. "What do you think, would you rather be here or back before this all started?" Katniss looked up from her hands with surprise.

"I…" she sputtered. "I want… I don't know." She admitted. "I wouldn't have Peeta either way it seems like."

"You always choose the one you love" Madge said. "Thom wants to go back to have Bristel. I want Gale. Katniss wants Peeta. It's very simple." She sighed, "We never get our way. Life gets in the way."

"It does" Thom mumbled. They missed dinner and fell asleep. Madge draped over Katniss on the couch, Thom's head pressed against the side of the armchair. They were too tired to talk. Thom made them odd pancakes in the morning serving them off white plates.

They didn't talk about the taste or the funny feel against their tongues. No conversation was needed. They parted ways until it was time to be scheduled. Madge was scanned into the system. Another boring day, she noticed looking through her itinerary.

At one point of her day as she was dropped something off for the absent Haymitch, she came face to face with Rory in the hallway. He offered a smile and a little head tilt. "Where are you off to Madge?" he asked quietly, taking her arm.

"No where important" she murmured.

"No?" he tousled her hair.

"Don't touch me." She glared.

"Whoa- pretty girl. Sorry." He shrugged, and let go of her.

"Stop being like Gale." He sobered and let go of her arm, letting her walk down the hall alone. She ignored anyone who offered her smiles. She hadn't slept. She had been counting the minutes, seconds, hours, and milliseconds.

He said he would be back. He promised he would be back. She turned the corner and fixed her suit jacket. She unlocked her apartment and turned on the lights. She pulled her hair out of the messy bun it was in and made her way over to a chair.

"Hey Madge" Gale said lazily from the couch, he laid face down.

"Hey" she said tiredly and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"How are you today?" he continued and looked over from the pillow beneath his chin.

"Awful" she sighed. Her eyes shot open and she lurched out of the chair and onto her feet. "How long have you been there?" she cried, holding her chest.

"I don't know" he chuckled, "all I know is, I fell asleep… and you came in." she laughed and sunk to her knees next to him.

"You're home" she let the tears fall, "you're here."

"I'm not going anywhere, Undersee. At least not anywhere without you."

**REVIEW.**

**I know it's a little fast. Do you want me to do Gale's POV of the mission? I know sometimes people don't write it. Since it's AU I could have it go down however I'd like. Suggestions? ORRRR should I just go into fluff and get on with it?**

**Also for all who are on Tumblr... MinistryofDoctorWho - that is me. FOLLOW. :D  
For all who are not on Tumblr. Get on it. Seriously. Now. Tumblr is calling you. **

**Erin**


	30. Chapter 30

**SO SORRY! :O I haven't had enough inspiration. **

**Girl Who Escaped the Whipping Post: hahaha sooorrrrry!**

**Emily: As per request! Gale's POV! :)**

Gale sunk down in the black plush chair next to Finnick. His head was balanced in the palm of his hands. Gale didn't bother opening his mouth to talk to him.

"Close your eyes." Haymitch said to the both of them, "you need the energy." Gale grunted but set his head back and closed his eyes. Her face was burned into the back of his lids. The knobby pink scar bubbling on her skin enticed him. Her sad blue eyes, the pout of her small lips, the smooth skin on the back of her neck called out to him.

Gale's eyes drifted open and he looked out at the clouds under the hovercraft. There was an electrical hum in the cabin like the sound of buzzing bees on a warm summer's day. The plane lurched in the air as if it were a tree limb. Gale's stomach moved to the seat behind him.

Finnick popped his feet up on the plastic wall in front of him. He drummed his fingers on his knee to invisible music. Gale guessed he was anxious. If it were him in Finnick's place he would be in the cockpit, flying the plane himself.

Haymitch's voice mumbled something over the loud speaker but Gale didn't hear it. "What did he say?" he asked, turning his head to look at Finnick.

"Landing soon…" Finnick said and kept his head down.

"So soon… I feel like I just got on this rust bucket." Gale said dragging a hand through his hair, "how are we even landing this monster- without anyone seeing us?" he demanded.

"It's brilliant, really." Finnick said. "We're going through the electricity tunnels. Though the back way. No one knows about it because no one's ever needed down there."

"Electricity tunnels?" Gale whispered, trying to imagine it.

"Yeah… that's how the Capitol buildings get all their energy, underground. You never see any light poles or anything because the cables are in this tunnel."

"These must be pretty large tunnels if they're able to fit this thing into them."

"Well back before they housed electricity it held all the coal rails. Since power used to be coal the Capitol set up all theses tunnels from your district to the Capitol. They aren't used anymore because they're not as stable as they used to be. That's how this is all going to go down."

"So you're saying were going to take Mellark through the tunnels all the way back to twelve and then make a run for thirteen?" Finnick nodded.

"Where were you when we figured this entire thing out?"

"Uh…." Gale's brain froze as he remembered all the meetings he sat through. "I was…" he let out a chuckle, "thinking about Madge." The plane lurched and Finnick and Gale went surging forward in their seats. "Think we should put these on?" Gale held up the seatbelts.

"We're going to die with or without them" Was Finnick's positive response. Gale let the buckle fall to his side. They were dropping and swirving quickly and the tall trees were coming out of the blurry haze around them.

When Haymitch came out of the cockpit, the hovercraft was touching down on the ground. He hardly moved as the ground and seats shook with the impact. "Get up." He said gruffly, "you should already be on your feet and at the door."

Gale was pulled up by his arm and shoved into the armrest of the seat behind him. His leg ached as the plastic of it sent tremors down his knee, but he didn't complain and he didn't wait for Finnick. Gale stood up straight and ripped a large rifle off the wall.

He turned as Finnick and Haymitch were coming into the hanger. Haymitch went to the far wall and shoved helmets at the two of them. "Here. You're used to these" he said staring at Gale. The brooding man snarled and let his helmet go limp in his hand.

Finnick tugged on his right away and banged the button for the door open. He walked out and left the mentor and Gale alone in the pleading darkness. Gale's glare wasn't tiring and Haymitch was forced to look away and clear his throat.

"You signed up for this." Gale didn't wait to argue with the man and followed Finnick out the sliding doors and out into the long grass. Finnick was walking up to a large green door. The plants had grown over it and the area was isolated from the forest.

Gale still looked over his shoulder and hoisted his gun up off his knee. He spit into the weeds and watched as Finnick tore at the vines with a large knife. "We're screwed aren't we?" he laughed and pulled at the thick handle.

The door made a revolting noise and creaked open, slamming into the side of the doorway. Gale shrugged and pushed his colleague out of the way, stepping into the murky darkness. Sparks lit up the tunnel ahead and the walls were hard to pinpoint.

"We should go back for a flashlight" Finnick left the hall and into the sun. Gale didn't wait, he watched his feet slam into the concrete and felt his breaths leave his mouth. Finnick's running footsteps wouldn't stop him either. "They left" he said breathlessly.

Gale held back a laugh, of course they did. "They don't care about _us._" Gale said rolling his eyes. "They only care about the _target_." Finnick huffed and the door condemned behind them, locking them in. A spark flashed in front of him and he could clearly see the endless tunnel system around them.

"Do you know where you're going?" Finnick asked from directly behind him.

"No." Gale said and another flash lit up their faces. They glanced at each other. They came to the first junction and they paused listening. All they could hear was the steady thump of power surging around them. "Do you?" Gale let the question sink into the ground.

Finnick shuffled and looked down the other side of the tunnel. "No idea." He admitted.

"Were you hoping for a helpful map?" Gale snapped. "Didn't the fatty teach you the ropes of the place?" a spark enlightened again and Gale could make out the amused features of his partner.

"No." he said, "We'll walk until we find a map though- they must have lights in here or something" they dragged their feet down the hall. Gale tried to focus on the walls, searching for anything that could help them.

Finnick whistled and pointed. "There! What is that?" Gale squinted as he followed Finnick's shadowy finger in the direction he was looking at. Something was flopped down like paper on the nonexistent wall.

They reached it and rolled it up the wall, holding it up with one hand each. They leaned in as if to smell the material. "Can you read it?" Gale asked Finnick.

"Barely." Gale ran his other hand over it, smoothing it down. A spark flashed, lighting the area around them. It was a map. "Pull it down, we'll take it with us until we find some decent light." Gale tugged up the corners and peeled it off the wall, rolling it up.

They took off down the hall, looking for some hall with light. Finally after the fifth tunnel there was a blinking red light over a door. "Exit?" Gale laughed and they hustled their way over to it. They used the pulsating light to read the map, trying to figure out where they were.

They followed the red arrow of the original place of the map to where they were standing now. Gale glanced up at the door: Waste Water Treatment Plant. "Now… why… would they put water next to electricity?" Finnick looked up as well and shrugged.

"I don't know but it all has to go somewhere." Gale reached out to the handle. "Whoa what are you doing?" his partner demanded, shoving his hand away.

"Aren't you curious?" Gale asked. Finnick looked down at the map once more and threw it to the ground. Gale smiled and pushed open the heavy metal door. Air blew back their hair as the two men entered.

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**Erin. (Tumblr is MinistryofDoctorWho.)**


	31. Chapter 31

**Girl Who Escaped: Thanks! I would love to go into Prim and Rory fluff for you after Gale's mission! **

**Emily: THANKS. :D **

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"I thought these things were usually above ground." Finnick said as they entered the sanitation unit.

"They are" Gale said softly looking up at the red flashing light. "Hey- I think we have to change into these suits in order to get in. He pulled on the door handle and looked at his companion.

"That makes sense." Finnick opened a holding tank and took out the white hazmat suit. He started to strip his clothes and Gale quickly turned away to join the efforts. The door made a popping sound as it opened and he pulled out the hazmat suit like Finnick had.

He couldn't stop thinking about how many workers could be inside the next door or how many peacekeepers would start asking them questions. He started to stall. "Move a little faster, would you?" Finnick said slightly annoyed.

Gale zipped up the suit and pulled the booties over his nice leather boots. Finnick dropped the helmet over his face and smiled. Gale didn't return one as he secured his own helmet. They dropped their peacekeeper uniforms down a chute and the light turned green above the next door.

"I feel as though we're going into a nuclear reactor not some crummy wastewater plant." Gale said as they walked into a second sanitation unit. "We shouldn't even have to be clean to go in there. Finnick shrugged.

"Maybe it's just protocol."

"Maybe it's a trap." Gale raised an eyebrow, "ever think of that?"

"Honestly no." Finnick said and sighed as the next door lit up in green. They entered through it and found the stages of cleansers. It was a normal sanitation plant. "I wouldn't think it would be." They were passed by a few other men dressed similarly as them.

They nodded to Gale and Finnick like they were other workers. "Huh." Gale said and followed the workers casually. Finnick started reading the gauges and levels on computer screens and pointed a few out to Gale, like it was their job.

"We look ridiculous." Finnick whispered finally, when no one was around.

"I'll say." Gale grumbled. "Let's get out of here." As they walked to the other side of the plant Finnick turned to Gale.

"Did you ever think that these suits are made to hold out the smell?" Gale tried to hold in his laughter.

"Brilliant." He murmured. They saw another doorway that looked similar to the one they walked into from the tunnels and entered. A few other men were leaving the plant as well and the two blended in.

"Lunch break?" One of the workers asked Gale.

"Finally," he said remembering his days in the mine.

"Tell me about it." The worker said and Finnick looked down at his shoes, holding back his relieved smile. After the shower down they entered the next room. Finnick grabbed Gale's arm and opened a random locker.

They stole tan slacks and pressed collar shirts and laced their boots back up. None of the workers said a thing about not recognizing them. They left then into the main part of the plant. A few of the workers were talking about going out to lunch and turned down a narrow hallway to their right.

Finnick began to speak up, he had a dirty cap on his head to hide some of his identity but it would only be a matter of time before someone noticed who he was. "Where were you thinking of going?"

The workers turned and smiled, "the bar on 42." They all replied and Finnick nodded, "great vibe." Gale rolled his eyes. They went out the back doors of the company wastewater plant and came out in a tradition wastewater system layout.

Already slug was being transported on tanks and rolled off the premises. The two men followed the other workers out large gates and out into the street. They all put their hands into their pockets and took off in different directions. A few of the bar men stayed together.

"I haven't been to this part of the city" Finnick muttered to Gale as they crossed the street.

"We should find a map then." He growled.

"It's always about finding maps." Finnick said shaking his head.

"Should have stayed underground," Gale said, looking around. "We're never going to Mellark now."

"Relax." Finnick sighed, "Live a little."

"We have a job to do, Odair. It's best we stick to it." They reached the corner and glanced around at their surroundings. They were defiantly in the slums of the Capitol. If that was what you could call it. The streets and buildings were still pristine but the people looked a little off their rockers.

"Hurry up." Finnick pulled on Gale's sleeve and the two took off towards the main frame of the city. "They're holding him in the cells of the training center. If we can find that then we can find an entrance to the underground."

"Right but we have to make it into the city first." Gale said. "People are going to start recognizing us."

"Yeah, Haymitch should have thought about more undercover people then stars of the capitol." They ducked into an alleyway for a second to think of possible ways to get into the Capitol. "How about we split up."

"You're mental." Gale snarled. "I have no idea how to make my way around."

"Not really split up but look less, _together_. You know what I mean?" he said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah sure, like I follow you ten feet back or so, dodging people and things."

"Exactly, look like you know where you're going, check your watch. We can find you a briefcase and sunglasses to make you look more business-like." Gale liked the sound of this. It might actually work.

"What about you?" he said quickly.

"I have no idea. I was thinking of playing myself, actually." He said looking proud.

"That's a horrible idea. Everyone thinks you are dead."

"Oh… right" Finnick snickered.

"We could find you a tool box and get you a plumber's uniform." Gale said snapping his fingers. "No one would look twice at you."

"Gale Hawthorne I do believe we're going to come out of this alive." Finnick crossed his arms over his chest with a cocky smile.

"Okay- but don't let this get to your head. We'll start making mistakes."

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**REVIEW. Seriously. I miss reviews :((  
****Sorry I haven't updated a lot too. I'll try to be more frequent. **

**Erin. (Who is now ****MinistryofWildThings on Tumblr)**


	32. Chapter 32

**anonime: Here it is!  
****Guest: No problem!**

Finnick looked down at his abnormally large excuse for a plumber's uniform. They tan jump-suit draped off him in the case that it wasn't his size. He gripped at his tool box, swinging it around him like a child. Gale rolled his eyes and pulled at his dark blue suit jacket.

The briefcase was heavy and filled with everything that could go wrong. He busied himself with the new watch on his wrist that itched and the glasses with fake lenses that took over his face. Finnick placed a hat on his head and turned it slightly.

"There." No one is going to expect a thing if a plumber and a businessman of the Capitol goes into the training center. Gale shook his head.

"It's too easy." He replied. Finnick shrugged,

"We'll see when we get there. I'll go first." Finnick exited onto the street into the bustling downtown of the Capitol. No one looked at him. He sunk through the crowds and vanished. Gale stepped out then and looked both ways then down at his watch.

He took long strides across the street and dodged the city-livers in their natural habitat. It was all overwhelming for him. He kept his briefcase at his side and his head high and proud like any other successful man would do.

He spotted Finnick crossing at the cross walk ahead. He didn't look around, didn't look up from the cracks in the sidewalk, and just kept walking. Gale tried to keep an even pace instead of stumbling to catch up with his accomplice.

He glanced down at his watch again and pushed up his glasses, giving him an excuse to pause his shaking hands. He turned onto the next street and his eyes wandered through the crowds for the tan jump-suit. He found Finnick a ways ahead; he had pulled out a map and began to press himself against a building to look at it.

Gale held back an eye roll. This was not the place to be looking at a map. Yet, no one turned their head to look at him or talk to him. No one had any recognition which seemed to be Finnick's purpose. The fake plumber folded up the map and picked up his tool box once he was barely in front of Gale.

"Watch it." Gale grumbled to Finnick and the dressed up man next to him smirked. Gale let out a relieved breath.

"Sorry Sir." Finnick said under his breath and kept his head down. By now Gale's hands had stopped sweating and he resisted the urge to rub his forehead. This all returned however when he looked up and saw the training center. They were checking .

Finnick didn't seem to be bothered and walked right up to one of the more uniformed Peacekeepers. He cleared his throat and the man looked down at him. Gale closed his eyes. This was it. "Excuse me, sir." Finnick said in an obnoxious Capitol accent. "I need to fix the toiletries on the third floor."

The Peacekeeper only snared and let Finnick go. He didn't look back at Gale. Gale calmly climbed the stairs, keeping his head high and proud like before on the streets. He didn't pull at his collar but he did glance down at his watch. One of the smaller keepers stopped him on the fifth step; he had already passed two up.

Before the Peacekeeper had any words out of his mouth, Gale put up his hand. "Save it. I'm late for a meeting. Ask me for it when you come out. I'm so done with this guarding bullshit." The Peacekeeper only blinked up at him. "Are you going to let me go or not?"

The young man nodded furiously, letting Gale pass him up. "The nerve," Gale muttered as he passed a few other Peacekeepers. He pushed open the glass doors and listened to his heels press into the ground below. He didn't think they would actually get inside.

Finnick said he was going to the third floor which Gale guessed was the next step. He pressed the elevator button up and waited, continuing to look at his watch and tap on his briefcase. The doors slid open with ease and he walked in.

The doors closed and Gale pressed in the button marked three. He waited and the elevator started cranking up at an extremely fast pace. The windows looking out into the streets held his attention away from the fact that the doors could open and he would be ripped away from Madge Undersee forever.

The door chimed and Gale fixed himself to look more professional. He walked out and looked at the deserted halls. He turned and looked down at his watch to distract himself. He saw a bathroom sign up ahead. He walked straight and turned into it, mechanically.

Finnick was on his knees bent over in the fourth stall, he was whistling and the clank of the wrench and other tools on the tile floor made it seem he was doing work. Gale set his briefcase out on the counter and shook his head. He wished he had a camera.

He checked under the stalls and then spoke softly. "What now?" he wondered and Finnick jumped slightly and his whistling stopped.

"I don't know." He replied and stood up, placing the tools back into the red metal box. "This is the right floor; I just don't know how to look without being suspicious."

"I wouldn't look as suspicious as you."

"No you can talk your way out of anything" Finnick rolled his eyes, "I saw your easy talk out of the Peacekeepers and I had to keep myself from busting out laughing in the lobby and elevator."

"Oh, ha ha." Gale sighed and took off the hat, running a hand through his hair, "seems like this floor is pretty empty." He said in all seriousness.

"Yeah it was weird." Finnick agreed. They let the silence take them over.

"Well I'm off to check the rooms. I'll be back if I find anything." Gale set his hat back on his head.

**Reviewwww please! :) **

**Erin**


	33. Chapter 33

**I made a HUGE mistake yesterday when I updated this. BookFreak found it- thank goodness. So we all have to thank her. :)**

**I forgot to include Annie.**

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Gale wandered back into the hall. He checked his watch and pushed up his glasses, in case someone was watching him. He turned right and looked into the blackened windows of each room. He reached out to the doorknob and turned it easily. He opened the door and looked around the room.

He backed out and wandered back to the bathroom. "Look, the doors are unlocked." He murmured.

"That's odd." Finnick rubbed his brow.

"Do you think it's a trap?" Gale asked and looked back into the hall.

"No, I think we're missing something obvious." Finnick stood and looked out into the hall. Gale stepped out into the hall and looked along the wall.

"This paint..." Gale said and pointed to the obvious off white color. "is different." He gestured to pure white walls.

"Not that obvious." Finnick sighed, "how about that door that doesn't have a window?" Gale shook his head.

"It's a closet." Gale said, not taking his eye off the wall.

"Psh. No." Finnick walked down to it and opened it. Brooms, buckets, and sponges lined the wall. Gale rolled his eyes and pushed on the wall. He put his ear up to it and knocked.

"It's hollow on the other side." He alerted Finnick. Gale was moved out of the way as Finnick's foot sunk into the wall. "Whoa! What are you doing?" Gale looked around.

"You were right," Finnick said and stepped into the hole he made, "stairs."

"Where do you think they led?" Gale stepped in after him.

"Hopefully to Peeta and Annie."

"Right." They hugged the wall as they plunged into the dark abyss. "They probably had cameras all over that floor."

"Stop worrying about it." Finnick murmured. They reached the bottom and tried to find the walls.

"Where's the light switch?"

"Maybe this is it." The lights flickered on and it took a moment for the men to adjust. In front of them was a line of three steel doors. The men glanced at each other before making an attempt to open the closest one.

"They're touch activated." A voice murmured. Gale and Finnick looked at the bottom of the door. Peeta was looking through a food slot.

"What are we supposed to do then?" Gale growled.

"Kill one of the guards or at least knock him out. Then use his hand on the knob." Peeta sighed.

"Where do we find a guard?" Finnick asked.

"The last door is a mirage- walk through it. That's where they all go." Peeta said and gestured to his left.

"Why do they have a random staircase and a wall boarded up on the third floor?" Gale wondered.

"It's an escape route for us. If the downstairs is infiltrated they take us up and onto a helicopter pad on the roof."

"How do you know all of this?" Finnick wondered.

"These walls aren't sound proof." Peeta mumbled, "I heard everything if I concentrate."

"Have they done anything to you? What about Annie?" Gale asked and looked at the last door.

"Finnick?" The tribute left Peeta and wandered over to another door, pressing his hand against the door.

"I'm here Annie.." he whispered.

"Other than the food sucks, it's hot, and their interrogations are less then tolerable?"

"What do they ask you about?" Finnick wondered and squatted down.

"Anything and everything." Peeta shrugged. "I've seen people close to me die in there and have things inserted into me. It's a vacation." He said sarcastically.

"We'll get you out." Finnick nodded. He turned to Gale, "you stay here. I'll act like there is something with the lights in here and I'll lead a guard back." Finnick didn't wait for Gale to argue. He fixed the plumber's hat on his head and looked over his uniform as he ran down the hall.

Finnick reached the end and reached out for the door, he opened it a crack and looked around. He was in another hallway. He exited the hall and looked at the doorways in front of him, he walked a ways away from the prisoner's chambers.

"You there!" Someone called. Finnick turned towards a conference room. There was a young man dressed in a suit similar to Gale's and smoking a cigar. "How did you get in here?" He wondered.

"I was sent to fix the lights in the cells or something." Finnick said, holding up his tool box.

"Yeah?" The man asked and eyed his cap.

"I just finished a job on the second floor bathrooms and someone sent me down here." Finnick explained, continuing his accent. "Truth is- I'm completely lost."

"I'll get one of the guards to help you, they know everything that is wrong with the cells." The man directed him into the office and reached for the phone. "They should be here shortly."

"Thank you, Sir. I'll wait in the hall."

"Sure, it's the third door down from here."

"Thank you, sorry to bother you." Finnick smirked as he took off towards the door he came out of. A man wearing a white peacekeeper uniform and a black vest came out of another door and nodded to the door next to Finnick.

"I noticed the other day that the lights were flickering, good of someone to let a technician know."

"A flickering is easy to fix, won't take me long." Finnick said and coughed as they approached the end of the tunnel.

"Of course not, here let me find the switch." The peacekeeper said and turned on the light. Gale punched the guy, having the man sag to the ground. Finnick knocked him out while he was on the ground.

"Here, drag him over." Gale said and Finnick lifted his hand to the doorknob. A buzz went off and the door popped open. Peeta was already on his feet and out of the cell in a moment. They shut the door and the buzz went silent. Finnick dragged the guard over to Annie's door and opened it, taking his girlfriend into his arms.

"Now what?" Gale asked.

Peeta gestured up the stairs, "what if we go up and get me a janitor uniform?"

"We could do that." Finnick said, "or you could put on the Peacekeeper uniform." Peeta and Gale looked down at the guard. Peeta changed quickly and dressed the guard in his clothes. Gale opened the cell once more and Finnick dragged in the guard.

"What about Annie?" Gale said, "janitor? It will look better if you two leave like that."

"Yeah," Finnick said, "there was one on the third floor in the closet. There needs to be a hat or else we're never going to make it out of the building." Finnick pulled on her red hair.

"So we go back to the third floor and down to the first." Gale said, "Finnick and Annie leave first." He said. "Then Peeta and I will come out in a loud conversation about the meeting we got out of."

"Where do we meet?" Finnick asked.

"Water Treatment Plant." Gale said, "we'll act like we're getting back from lunch."

"Right." Finnick nodded. They ran up the stairs and Finnick got out the uniform, Annie changed in a room and came out, her hair covered by the large cap.

"Do you have a chip in you?" Gale suddenly asked Peeta and Annie.

"No." Peeta said, "I already looked for it." Finnick and Annie got into the elevator.

"Alright." Gale said and looked straight ahead at the closing elevator.

"Why are you doing this?" Peeta asked. Gale shrugged.

"I don't know." Gale said and went into the elevator. They watched the numbers count door. They exited the building and nodded to the guards on the steps. "Sorry about earlier." Gale said to the smallest peacekeeper.

"No problem, sir. Have a good day." Gale nodded again and Peeta and Gale walked down the street. Gale made sure to gesture to restaurants as they passed, keeping in character for as long as they could.

They approached the Water Treatment Plant and Finnick handed them uniforms, they ditched their clothes in the disposal inside the plant. They entered talking about lunch and parted towards the exit. "You should have seen the act Gale put on outside." Peeta said and shook his head. "Brave of you to talk to that peacekeeper."

"He recognized me." Gale said, "from when I made that scene." Finnick nodded, still holding onto Annie.

"They are the worst guards." Finnick said after a while. They found the main tunnel and headed back to the entrance.

"Now what?" Peeta wondered.

"Now we start the trek back to District 13." They finally found the hanger in the middle of the night. Peeta was exhausted and hanging off of Gale and Finnick was carrying Annie, her head resting on his shoulder. A worker ran out to meet them, Haymitch was close behind him.

"We went with a different plan." Gale said as Peeta and Annie were put onto a stretcher. "Not the safest way but..."

"I don't care what you did." Haymitch grumbled, "now get inside."

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**Erin**


	34. Chapter 34

**I know. It's been a while but college is eating my time. **

**dancing-mellarkable: same here! Thanks for reviewing, so glad you love it. **

**bookfreak: thanks again for pointing out my mistake! thanks for reading :) **

**anonime: I know! Thanks for the review. **

**mikimouse: thanks for your reviews! I'll try to keep my updating in check. **

**Enjoy the next chapter everyone!**

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Gale stumbled through the halls. He couldn't stop the yawns that broke through his throat and opened his mouth. He wasn't ready to go to bed without seeing her. He reached out to the wall, and starred at the room numbers.

"Gale?" He turned around to come face to face with Katniss. Her eyes were wide and hopeful.

"He's in the hospital wing, he's fine." He tried to keep walking. Katniss ran in front of him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She murmured. Gale opened his mouth to answer but turned, his brain clouding over with fatigue. "It means a lot to me, Gale." He nodded and pushed past her wandering the halls once more. The lights above him flickered quickly. The hall stretched out before him, every step it seemed to extend, the ending never being able to be obtained.

Finally, he pressed himself against the door he'd been looking for, the entrance to her apartment. His hand slid away from his side and formed a fist. He knocked twice and swayed back in waiting. It was obvious that no one was in after he had knocked a few times. Gale uplifted the corner of the cut carpet in the hall. A silver key illuminated in the little light and allowed Gale to enter the darkened home.

His shoes were lost in the heap of finding somewhere to lie down. His eyes were drooping and his mouth was in constant yawn. He sunk onto the couch and pulled a throw pillow under his chin. A snap of the lock got his attention and woke him.

He watched Madge walk in her limps looking heavy and tired as she made her way over to a chair. Her hand found her pin and her hair fell around her shoulders. He smiled lazily, feeling the guilt and worry flow out of his body.

"Hey Madge" He murmured.

"Hey" she sighed and slumped back in her chair. Her hand came up and her thumb and pointer pinched the bridge of her nose.

"How are you today?" Gale smirked and turned towards her.

"Awful" she grumbled. Her blue eyes shot opened and they quickly searched his face with alarm. Madge staggered out of the chair and onto her feet, running over to his side. "How long have you been there?" she cried, holding her chest and reaching out to feel his face.

"I don't know" he chuckled, "all I know is, I fell asleep… and you came in." she laughed and sunk to her knees next to him, breathing in deeply.

"You're home" Madge's bottom lip trembled and tears welded up in her eyes. They dropped slowly as she tried to smile, "you're here."

"I'm not going anywhere, Undersee, at least not anywhere without you." He said confidently and reached out to run his finger over her pink scar. "You're so beautiful." She let out an airy laugh and leaned into his touch.

"How is Peeta?" Gale shrugged and ignored the question, "how is Annie?" Gale sighed and turned to look up at the ceiling.

"Let's not talk about it now." He said softly, "they're fine, I just don't want to talk about it." He admitted. Madge crawled up and straddled him, quickly repositioning herself into Gale's side. His arm folded around her and brought her closer to his slow heartbeat.

"I missed you." She sighed again. Gale's lips reached out to kiss her forehead. She was warm against his cool body, her adventuring fingers spreading fire along his torso. He closed his eyes and let the silence of their beings sink in.

"I missed you too, Madge but never once did I think I wasn't going to make it back to you." She nodded, her hair messing up against his shirt. "Oh, I love you." He whispered and tightened his grip on her small frame. A ghost of a smile appeared on her lips as she looked up at him.

"I know." Gale watched as the hours rolled by like waves under a boat. The clock blinking on the other side of the room mocked him as he lost himself watching Madge sleep. Her eyelashes fluttered and her chest rose and fell in even motions. Her small lip lips were parted slightly, letting warm breath hit his heart. He choked up and ran a hand over his face.

"What's wrong?" Madge asked in a quiet sleepy voice.

"Nothing," he said and glanced down at her. Her lips pursed to show she hardly believed him. "I was thinking about your question."

"My... question?" She murmured and pushed herself on top of him.

"The question you asked me before I left." Gale pushed the hair out of her eyes and smiled. "The one where you asked me what we were." Madge laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Stupid question, I know." She smirked.

"No not at all." Gale said seriously, "actually I was bringing it up again." Madge raised an eyebrow.

"What else is there to say? We're together and that's all that matters, right?"

"But it's more than that." Gale said and shook his head. "Maybe it's my insomnia talking but Madge- you're my everything, I want to be more than just together. What does that even mean? It makes us sound like school sweethearts meeting on the weekends. _I want to be with you_. I want to experience life with you. That doesn't make us together, that makes us inseparable." Madge blinked at him in wonder. "I feel like my life has finally started now that you're here. You might not feel the same but I had to put it out. The only thing I have left to add is, Madge, well; will you give me the honor of being your husband?" Madge's breathing hitched and the room fell quiet. Gale's palms shook as he reached out to the skin of her hips.

"I think..." Madge cleared her throat, "I think- that it's the insomnia talking, Gale." She offered a smile and sat up. She stretched and looked back at him. "Come to bed?" His heart pounded painfully and it was hard for him to get off the couch. They collapsed onto the bed.

"Look, I don't think you understand." Gale said finally and looked over, "I want to be with you." His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion.

"I do understand and we are together." She smiled and nestled into his side. "I don't want to move too fast... besides I know you're just trying to beat Rory." Gale froze. It felt like his breathing and heart had stopped. Gale thought that the uprising was going to be bad, but what had Rory just started?

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**Erin**

**BTW: I changed my tumblr URL so now it's monkeyinaspaceship so yeah if you're searching for me- there I am. **


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